Star Wars (Starring the Doctor) Episode IV: A New Hope
by blade0627
Summary: The time has come for the Jedi to rise up. Luke Skywalker is now ready to start on his path to his destiny of defeating the Sith, and the Doctor, Jennara Oswin, and Obi-Wan Kenobi have been called to fight with the Rebel Alliance. But first, the Jedi must rescue Leia Organa from the Galactic Empire's clutches, and the Tenth must fall so the Eleventh may rise. I do not own DW or SW.
1. While You Were Away

Prologue: While You Were Away...

The organization known as the Galactic Empire was holding power in the galaxy. The evil Emperor Palpatine, known to a few as Darth Sidious, ruled the galaxy with an iron fist, crushing any insurrections that dared stand against him. His enforcer: Darth Vader, once known as Anakin Skywalker, protected from the environment around him by a terrifying suit of black armor after suffering a catastrophic defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet of Mustafar. Together, these two Sith Lords nearly destroyed the Jedi Order. Nearly.

A hundred Jedi managed to survive the attack that became known as Operation: Knightfall. This number included the Gallifreyan Jedi Master known as the Doctor. But over time, the Great Jedi Purge, the Empire's name for the hunting of Jedi, began to dwindle that number down. Within nineteen years, there were only three Jedi left, to the Doctor's knowledge: Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Doctor, and the Doctor's Padawan, Jennara Oswin. Obi-Wan Kenobi was in exile on Tatooine, and the Doctor and Jennara travelled across the galaxy. All three Jedi were waiting for the day when Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, son and daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, would be deemed ready to begin their Jedi training and defeat the Sith. And that day would soon be upon them.

In the past nineteen years, the Doctor had watched Jennara grow from a timid child into a confident young woman, a Jedi Sentinel, no less. She was now capable of slicing into just about any security system in the galaxy. The Doctor thought this would come in handy, but there was still a test that hadn't been thrust upon her yet: the Trial of the Spirit. He didn't quite know how to administer this test to her, but the answer would soon become clear to him.

The Doctor and Jennara had been emboldened to strike at Imperial planetary bases with the rise of the Rebel Alliance. They struck at the Empire swiftly, never doing anything more than damaging a few pieces of equipment at a time, but their efforts had nonetheless gained them a reputation as heroes with the Rebellion, even if they never got involved. The Doctor had promised himself and Jennara that they would never get involved in the Galactic Civil War, as it was being called, unless either Luke or Leia had decided to get involved. Nevertheless, they regarded the Rebellion as friends to be trusted.

The Doctor could, in the back of his mind, sense a great evil about to descend upon the galaxy, and it was of Darth Sidious's design. He could sense that they were building something, and it had something to do with a star of death, whatever that meant.

There were many events going on in the galaxy, and the Doctor would soon find himself in the thick of it once more, and it all started with a call.

This is the story of the Doctor during the rise of the new hope of the galaxy, the climactic battle that would cement the Rebellion as a legitimate threat to the Galactic Empire, and the rise of the Eleventh.


	2. Messing with the Empire

Chapter One: Messing With the Empire

The Doctor and Jennara Oswin docked their small freighter on the surface of Corulag, a world in the Core housing the famous Corulag Academy, which was used to train the Empire's finest. The freighter they were flying now, the seventh ship they had acquired during their travels, touched down and was almost immediately greeted by a squad of stormtroopers, the Empire's own perverted version of the Old Republic's clone soldiers, and an Imperial officer. The Doctor could see the officer looking condescendingly at the freighter, which was not in the best of conditions, to say the least. The Doctor looked to his Padawan.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready," replied Jennara.

"Remember," urged the Doctor. "Keep your lightsaber hidden. They'll shoot you without a second thought if they see it anywhere on your body."

"Yes, Doctor." With that, they put on their fake uniforms and released the ramp of their freighter, opening themselves up to Corulag.

The Doctor and Jennara had technician uniforms on instead of their Jedi robes. The Doctor had feared that two people in almost identical robes would attract too much attention, so he and Jennara had stolen their current ensemble from a little shop on Kuat. The Imperials hadn't been too happy about that, but that had been months ago. Surely they weren't still looking for them.

The Imperials definitely weren't looking on Corulag, for when they stepped off the ramp, they weren't immediately greeted by a blaster pointed to their heads. Instead, the officer strolled up to them and looked them up and down.

"State your business," he said with a condescending tone.

"Health and Safety," the Doctor said quickly.

"You look more like mechanics than doctors," observed the officer.

"We're here for the health and safety of your machines, not you," snapped Jennara.

"You watch your tone, miss," the officer snapped right back. "You are addressing a senior officer of the Galactic Empire. You'd better behave, or something might...happen to you." He punctuated his statement with a suggestive leer in Jennara's direction. The Doctor noticed Jennara's throat strain almost imperceptibly as she fought to keep down sickened vomit.

"I don't think that'll be necessary," said the Doctor. "We're here to check up on your computer consoles. See if they're functioning properly. I'm John Smith. This is my companion, Grace Holloway."

"I don't remember ever requesting a mechanic," said the officer, his hand moving ever so slightly towards the blaster pistol holstered on his hip.

"You weren't notified?" asked the Doctor. "Odd. It's not like a regional governor to keep a distinguished officer like yourself in the dark."

"A regional governor sent you here?" asked the flabbergasted officer. The Doctor could see he was going a bit pink in the face because of his comment about distinguishment. Clearly, the officer had a high opinion of himself.

"Oh, yes," said the Doctor.

"And he didn't notify me in advance?"

"Must have been a mistake on his part," said Jennara.

"Indeed," sneered the officer. "Well, if Governor Jerjerrod wills it, then it shall be so. Come. This way."

The officer led the Doctor and Jennara to a speeder. They climbed aboard, and the officer told the pilot to take them to Corulag Academy. The Doctor and Jennara both quickly guessed that that was where they were going to be working.

_Gonna be tough to get out, don't you think?_ asked Jennara in the Doctor's head.

_Probably,_ answered the Doctor. _But we'll find a way. There's always a way._

The speeder continued on in silence. Not a word came out of the two Jedi, the officer, or the pilot. The Doctor could sense Jennara's hand inching ever closer to a pocket on the leg of her baggy uniform pants, where her lightsaber was being kept. The Doctor's own lightsabers were kept in the same pocket on his pants as well.

_Don't be afraid, Jennara,_ he thought to her. _He doesn't suspect anything._

_Are you sure?_ asked Jennara.

_Reach out to his feelings. What do you sense?_

_Calm, calculating, and...Oh, by the Force..._Jennara's throat tightened ever so slightly again as she fought down another bout of vomit.

_What is it? _asked the Doctor.

_You don't even want to know what he's thinking about doing to me right now,_ answered Jennara. The Doctor took this as a warning not to look into the officer's thoughts anymore.

The speeder finally arrived at Corulag Academy, and the officer, the Doctor, and Jennara all disembarked from it. The officer led them inside, whereupon the Doctor reached into his pocket and brought out the machine that Jennara had built for him nineteen years ago.

"What is that?" asked the officer snidely.

"This," said the Doctor, holding up the machine, "is my spacey-wacey detector. It goes ding when there's stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" asked the officer.

"The kind of stuff that only my companion and I need to be worried about," said the Doctor.

"Very well," sighed the officer as he led them into a room full of computer consoles. "You'll find all our consoles here. Inspect them, then leave."

"Right away," said the Doctor. When the officer didn't leave, he added, "A bit of privacy, please."

The officer glared at the Doctor, but said nothing and left the room. Jennara looked at the Doctor and fake-gagged. The Doctor laughed at her expense, and Jennara playfully punched him in the shoulder as they got to work hacking into the Academy systems.

"Spacey-wacey?" she asked a few moments into their work.

"First thing I thought of," said the Doctor. "I could have also said timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly, or explodey-wodey, but I think spacey-wacey worked best."

"Yeah, explodey-wodey definitely would have tipped them off that we're not actually here to fix their consoles," joked Jennara cheekily.

"I would think so," said the Doctor as he moved to another console and got to work there.

The Doctor and Jennara moved quickly through the Corulag Academy's systems, hacking away at their security grid. As they moved through the room, the Doctor thought his work to be quite fun, and he may have gotten a bit carried away. He only realized his carelessness when the officer came back into the room with a squad of white-armored stormtroopers, blasters at the ready. He and Jennara held their hands up, and they were quickly surrounded by the stormtroopers and the officer.

"Some of our systems have gone out," said the officer threateningly. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"Nothing at all," the Doctor lied quickly.

"You don't honestly think I'm that stupid, do you?" asked the officer.

The Doctor looked to Jennara and said, "Well, stranger things have happened." Jennara giggled at that, to which the officer shouted at her to shut up.

"I think I'm going to kill you first, girl," said the officer.

"Oh, please don't kill me," Jennara fake-pleaded with the officer. "I'm just an innocent little girl."

"Hardly," said the officer. "Prepare to fire!"

As the Imperials moved in closer, the Doctor and Jennara moved as well so that they were back-to-back. Just as the officer was about to give the order to fire, the Doctor and Jennara outstretched their hands, calling upon the Force. The Imperials were hurled into the walls, and some of them were knocked out completely.

"What in the blazes?" groaned the officer as Jennara and the Doctor reached into their pockets and produced their collective three lightsabers. Three blades, a green and yellow blade along with a short blue blade, slid from their respective lightsabers, and the two Jedi poised to attack.

"Jedi!" shouted the officer. "Kill them!"

Instantly, the remaining stormtroopers were on their feet and firing. The Doctor and Jennara formed an impenetrable defensive shield, reflecting any bolts that came after them. The Doctor's signature Ataru-Shien mix flowed perfectly with Jennara's Ataru-Shii-Cho mix, and the two Jedi were unscathed. The stormtroopers were unscathed as well, but only because Jennara and the Doctor were not focusing their energy on redirecting the bolts into their gleaming white armor. Instead, they focused on getting out of the Corulag Academy. They had been there long enough.

"Any second now, that alarm is going to go off!" called Jennara over the blasterfire.

Even as she spoke the words, the Doctor could see the officer moving towards the alarm system in the console room.

"We've got to go!" shouted the Doctor. "Run!"

The Doctor pushed the officer away from the console for a moment while he and Jennara made their escape. They ran down a hallway of the Academy as alarms blared out all around them. Their lightsabers flashed brilliantly as the two Jedi deflected and redirected their way through the Academy. The Doctor had a goal in mind. He wanted to hijack a speeder, then make way back to the freighter, which would most likely be held by the stormtroopers who had accompanied the officer when the Jedi first arrived on Corulag. It would be tough, he knew, but he and Jennara were both capable Jedi. They knew exactly what they needed to do.

They met with very little resistance on their way to the speeder lot, aside from the troopers who were already chasing them, a number which had grown significantly larger when the alarm had finally been triggered. The Imperials were running at them and firing with all they had. The Doctor and Jennara covered each other when bolts whizzed too close to them, and they tried their best to lose the Imperial aggressors.

At last, the Doctor and Jennara made it to a speeder lot at the south entrance of the academy. Deactivating his lightsabers, the Doctor climbed in the driver's seat of one of the speeder cars, and Jennara took the passenger's seat. The Doctor lifted off and sped towards the landing bay they had come in on.

It wasn't long before Imperial speeders were hot on their tail. The Doctor counted no less than five troopers, each on their own bike, trying to fire on their position. He briefly put the speeder car on autopilot and turned to Jennara.

"Can you fly this speeder?" he asked.

"Of course I can," said Jennara. "Why?"

"I'm about to do something either very brave or very stupid, depending on the outcome," explained the Doctor. "If what I'm about to do turns out to be very stupid, can I trust you to continue on without me?"

Jennara hesitated for a second. In that second, her eyes flashed with fear. Fear of losing the Doctor altogether. The Doctor didn't want to go, either, but he knew he had to get these speeders off of them. Otherwise, they would never make it off Corulag. He feared leaving, but his fear of Jennara's death drove him to action.

In an instant, the fear left Jennara's eyes, and she said, "Yes. I think so."

"Good," said the Doctor. He opened up his window and jumped out of the speeder car, holding onto the speeder's top so that he would flip onto the top side of the car. The Doctor reactivated his lightsabers and prepared to meet the Imperials head-on.

"Shoot the speeder!" shouted the lead biker. "We'll take them both down!"

The Doctor saw a few of the bikers pull out pistols. He used the Force to wrench the pistols from the grips of the bikers, then throw them off of their bikes and to their doom. They were well over fifty meters in the air. The fall would definitely severely injure the bikers, if it didn't kill them outright. The Doctor didn't like to kill, but it was his only feasible option here. He had to save Jennara and himself at any cost.

The lead biker, who had soon become the only adversary left standing, tried shooting at the engines of the speeder car himself, but the Doctor was there to intervene. His lightsabers whirled in the air as he deflected the blasts from the speeder bike, and for a moment, he was back on Saleucami.

He saw it all. The lush forestry, the tiny streams, and the speeder bikes. In his mind, he could see Commander Neyo shooting at him and the speeder, not a random stormtrooper. He looked back at his own speeder and saw not the car that he and Jennara had stolen, but the speeder Stass Allie had driven when she was killed by her own clone troops. The Tholothian Jedi looked to him, purple eyes piercing him with anger and resentment in them.

"You failed the Order, Doctor!" she cried out. "You couldn't save them! You couldn't save me! Why couldn't you save us, Doctor? WHY!?"

"I tried, but there was nothing I could do!" shouted the Doctor. "I'm sorry!"

"Not good enough, Doctor," said Stass, turning her head away from him. "I'm still dead, and your guilt over my passing and the passing of the Jedi Order will haunt you."

"Yes," the Doctor admitted as the moment passed. To him, he had been on Saleucami for a few minutes, but it had only in reality been a second at most. The stormtrooper was still firing at him and Jennara, and they were still in very real danger. He snapped out of his hallucination and quickly threw his lightsabers at the biker. They lightsabers cut through his body, the main at the torso, the shoto at his neck. The Doctor recalled his lightsabers, deactivated them, and watched as the lead biker's body split into three separate pieces and fell along with the speeder bike back down to the surface of Corulag.

The Doctor jumped into the passenger seat of the speeder car. Jennara's knuckles were white on the steering handle, and she was breathing a bit heavily.

"Stressed?" asked the Doctor cheekily, pretending as though he wasn't bothered by his hallucination of Stass.

"Just a little bit," said Jennara, looking at him with a small smile on her face that betrayed the fear she really felt. The Doctor smiled back, and the Padawan piloted the speeder back to the landing pad. They reached the pad, and there sat the freighter.

The Doctor thanked the Force, for there were no stormtroopers around to obstruct their way to their freighter. The Master and Padawan duo clambered aboard and took off for the dark embrace of the starry space. They sat back in their seats and gazed out into the blackness, Jennara breathing heavily from stress.

"That was close," she said.

"Agreed," said the Doctor.

Silence followed for a brief moment.

"Let's do it again!" cried Jennara excitedly, at which the Doctor had no choice but to laugh. Jennara joined in, and they were soon laughing their heads off in an almost childish way. They had just been in mortal peril, but they made it out and were laughing at their own expense.

"That was so much fun!" said Jennara in between fits of laughter.

"I know!" guffawed the Doctor. "We should mess with the Empire more often!"

"I don't know why we didn't start doing it earlier," said Jennara, calming herself down. "I always get a rush."

"Exactly," said the Doctor, calming himself as well.

"But seriously, we've got to work on those names, Doctor. I mean, John Smith? What kind of name is that?"

"It sounded like a name that didn't spark any sort of suspicion," defended the Doctor. "People have all sorts of funky names in the galaxy. I really could have just gone with anything."

"True," acknowledged Jennara. "Hey, what happened back there?"

"When?" asked the Doctor, sensing where his Padawan was going.

"On the speeder, you sort of...blacked out for a moment," said Jennara hesitantly. "I was wondering what it was about."

The Doctor fell silent. He didn't want to talk about what he saw. He didn't want to put that on Jennara. It was nobody's pain but his own.

"Forgive me, Doctor," said Jennara finally. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

The Doctor smiled sadly at his Padawan, acknowledging her restraint and respect of his implicit wishes to leave the subject alone.

The Doctor had been having strange hallucinations every so often for a few years now. They usually popped up once a year, sometimes twice, and they all contained the same four Jedi: Ki-Adi-Mundi, Saesee Tiin, Plo Koon, and Stass Allie. They had been among the Doctor's closest friends who had been killed nineteen years ago by their own troops. Their deaths had been witnessed by the Doctor, and he would never forget the images of his friends being killed right in front of him. Never. To him, their deaths were his fault. He had failed to see what Darth Sidious had been planning from the beginning, and it had cost them their lives. It had cost almost the entire Order their lives. Yet he had survived. He always survived. From the death of his Order to the death of his own species, the Gallifreyans, the Doctor always lived on, carrying the weight of their deaths on his shoulders. It was, at times, too much, but the Doctor kept trucking along, adhering to his own sort of exile that he had taken up with Jennara.

_Doctor._

A voice brought the Doctor out of his thoughts. He recognized it almost immediately, though he never failed to notice that it had aged quite a bit over nineteen years. He had taught the owner of the voice how to communicate with his dead Master and learn the secret to immortality. He had known that voice since its owner was a small boy.

_Hello, Obi-Wan_, the Doctor thought to his old friend. _Has something happened?_

_Yes, Doctor,_ said Obi-Wan Kenobi. _I suggest you come to Tatooine quickly._

_What is it?_

_There's a message for us, Doctor, from Senator Organa. He's calling us back._

* * *

><p><strong>Hello, all! Welcome to Star Wars (Starring the Doctor) Episode IV: A New Hope! We've now entered the original trilogy, and it's going to be quite epic, if I do say so myself.<strong>

**Couple of things I should probably talk about regarding this particular volume. Specifically, two things, introduced in the prologue and this chapter. I'll start with the thing in this chapter: the hallucinations. The Doctor has been having these weird hallucinations lately, as evidenced at the end of the chapter. They haven't happened very often for him as of right now, but he'll be getting a lot more of them as the story goes on. Stass, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon, and Saesee Tiin will all be featured in the story as hallucinations at least once at fairly intermittent times.**

**And now, the thing in the prologue. This is the volume in which the Tenth Doctor will regenerate into the Eleventh Doctor. Can't say when. That's just too many spoilers for one author's note. Just know that it's going to happen, and that you can probably guess when it's going to happen, regardless of whether or not I tell you.**

**So, yeah, those are the big things regarding this volume. Regarding the story as a whole, I'm almost ready to begin the Tenth Doctor's chapter of "Adventures of the Doctor," so my deadline of 11:59 pm on December 31, 2014 should be met early, if I can just churn out that chapter and the epilogue, which shouldn't be too terribly long, in the next couple of days. It's kind of interesting. Literally almost all the free time of my entire 2014 has been devoted to this story. Now that I'm getting ready to add the finishing touches to the add-on stories, it's a bit solemn. But look at me getting emotional. I must stop this immediately! On to Doctor Who news!**

**In other news, the Doctor Who Christmas Special is coming up soon, and I cannot wait to get me some new Doctor Who shtuff. To be honest, I'm just excited for Santa Claus to be in Doctor Who. That, to me, is just awesome. I'm ready for it! Bring it on, Moffat! Make me feel feels on Christmas! I dare you! *ahem* Sorry about that.**

**Anyway, that's it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	3. To Tatooine

Chapter Two: To Tatooine

The Doctor knew exactly what to do. He locked onto Obi-Wan Kenobi's Force signature and held on tight. Even from halfway across the galaxy, the Doctor could place his old friend on Tatooine in the southwestern part of the Dune Sea. He imagined that as he neared Obi-Wan's location, the search area would narrow down.

_We'll be right there,_ thought the Doctor.

_One more thing,_ warned Obi-Wan. _Luke is with me. He doesn't know about Vader. I'm trying to convince him to come with me to Alderaan. I haven't had any luck so far._

_I'll see what I can do to help, but I suspect that the Force will provide a persuasion._

_That would be most appreciated, _said Obi-Wan. _I look forward to your arrival._

_I'll see you soon, old friend_, said the Doctor.

The Doctor held onto Obi-Wan's Force signature, and he sensed another very powerful signature around Obi-Wan. The Doctor came to the conclusion that this signature was Luke as he prepared the ship for lightspeed.

"Doctor?" asked Jennara. "Where are we going?"

"Bit of a change of plans, Jennara," said the Doctor. "We're going to Tatooine."

"It's time?" asked Jennara excitedly.

"It's time," said the Doctor, smiling as he sent the freighter into hyperspace.

While the freighter travelled through hyperspace to Tatooine, the Doctor felt it necessary to lay some ground rules for Jennara regarding Luke.

"Obi-Wan told me that Luke knows nothing about his father," said the Doctor. "I think we can assume that he thinks Anakin Skywalker is dead."

"Okay," said Jennara, nodding in understanding.

"Say nothing to him about Vader," cautioned the Doctor.

"Got it," nodded Jennara.

"Good," said the Doctor. "Off we go."

The rest of the journey to Tatooine was mostly silent. After they had changed from their mechanic outfits into their regular Jedi robes, Jennara sat fiddling with her lightsaber while the Doctor meditated. After a few hours of thinking about various topics, including immortality, how he might convince Luke Skywalker to join him and Obi-Wan, and his guilt over the death of much of the Order, the Doctor soon found himself quietly focusing on the work of his Padawan. He observed every motion she made as she masterfully took apart her lightsaber, then put it back together. He felt her hands smoothly flow over each part of the lightsaber: the emitter matrix, the power cell, the handgrip, even the yellow-hued crystal. All of the pieces of her lightsaber were tuned by the young Padawan extraordinarily quickly, a testament to her skill in the Force. Only a powerful and practiced Jedi could have taken apart and rebuilt his or her lightsaber as quickly as the Doctor just witnessed with Jennara.

"You're doing it again," said Jennara with a smirk.

"Doing what?" asked the Doctor innocently.

"Just admiring me and how awesome I am," answered Jennara. The Doctor smiled at his Padawan's tongue-in-cheek moment as she put her lightsaber back together lightning-fast and sat in the co-pilot's chair.

"How long until Tatooine?" asked Jennara.

"An hour at the most," answered the Doctor.

"Let's hope we don't run into Boba again like on Ord Mantell," scoffed Jennara.

"And Nal Hutta."

"And Nar Shaddaa."

The Doctor and Jennara looked at each other, worried that they might actually run into the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy while on Tatooine. It was highly possible, especially since the planet was basically controlled by the Hutts-but policed by the Empire-and Boba Fett, along with most bounty hunters at the time, worked almost exclusively for either the Hutts or the Empire.

Boba Fett had a grudge against the Jedi, but he had a special hatred for the Doctor. Over twenty years ago, on Geonosis, the Doctor led a team of two-hundred Jedi to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padme Amidala from the clutches of the evil Count Dooku and his Geonosian allies. During the battle, Jango Fett, Boba's father, fought against the Doctor and was unfortunately beheaded in front of Boba. Boba, who was only ten years old at the time, never forgave the Doctor for killing Jango, and the bounty hunter tirelessly searched for the Gallifreyan, coming close to his ultimate prize on no less than five separate occasions. The Doctor figured that he had probably killed other Jedi in service to the Empire on occasion, but he also figured that Boba Fett had locked down the bounty for the Doctor for himself.

"I don't think he's on the planet, though," said Jennara.

"Your senses aren't as tuned to the galaxy as mine are, Jennara," the Doctor reminded her.

"I know, Doctor," said Jennara. "What do you sense, then? Is he there?"

"There's a large group of hunters on Tatooine. Boba is among them, but they're all at Jabba's Palace," said the Doctor after a few seconds of reaching out to Tatooine as a whole. "We should be relatively safe, as long as we don't attract attention."

"So, nothing like what we just did on Corulag?" asked Jennara cheekily.

"Nothing like that at all," said the Doctor equally as cheekily.

Jennara giggled at her Master, and they fell into a very comfortable silence for the rest of the trip. Within an hour, the freighter had arrived at Tatooine, where an Imperial Star Destroyer was just leaving the planet for a destination that remained unknown to the Doctor. He sensed great evil aboard that ship, and he quickly deduced that Darth Vader was on it.

"Did you feel that?" asked Jennara, her voice shaking.

"Yes," answered the Doctor. "It was Vader."

Jennara shivered almost imperceptibly. She feared Vader more than even Sidious, only because she had witnessed the atrocities of Vader and his 501st clones firsthand at the Jedi Temple and somehow survived. Memories of that night were no doubt surfacing in her head, so the Doctor put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She smiled at him, but there were tears in her eyes. She was thinking of her old Master, Coleman Kcaj, who was ruthlessly gunned down in front of her. The Doctor sat with Master Kcaj on the Council, and he was a good friend. The Doctor understood her pain. He had lost many good friends throughout his nine hundred thirty-two years of life, and it never got any easier.

"I'm sorry," said Jennara, wiping her eyes. "I should be more in control of my emotions."

"No, it's okay. Sometimes strong emotions are good," said the Doctor, thinking back to his own love for Stass Allie.

"Really?" asked Jennara.

"Sometimes, yes."

Jennara smiled at him again, and the Doctor noticed a bit more affection in her smile than previously. The Doctor put it out of his mind as he navigated the freighter down to Obi-Wan Kenobi's hut in the Dune Sea. He quickly found it, and he put the freighter down near the hut and watched as an old man, a younger man, and an astromech droid sauntered out of the hut to meet the newcomers. The Doctor and Jennara took in their surroundings

He recognized the old man instantly. Though he had aged considerably in the last nineteen years, the old man was unmistakably Obi-Wan Kenobi. The ginger in his hair and beard had turned white and grey, and he had substituted his old short Jedi tunic with a longer, flowing, almost dress-like tunic the Doctor had seen other Jedi wear at the Temple. But that face, the benevolent smile that revealed a sort of cunning, was still the same Obi-Wan he had come to know these past thirty years.

The younger man had a Force signature to rival that of Anakin Skywalker. The Doctor quickly concluded that this young man was his son, Luke. He was a well-built young man who looked almost identical to his father, except that he had inherited some of his mother's more subtle features. He had sandy brown hair and an overall good heart, from what the Doctor could sense, but he was reckless. The Doctor and Obi-Wan would have to work on that. On Luke's belt hung the lightsaber of Anakin Skywalker. The Doctor wondered if Luke would ever be aware of just how much blood was on that blade.

The astromech droid was unchanged from the last time the Doctor had seen him. The blue and white markings on his outer shell and his domed head betrayed the visage of R2-D2. The astromech beeped and whirred happily at the sight of the Doctor, telling him that R2 had not had a memory wipe in many, many years.

The Doctor and Jennara smiled as Obi-Wan, Luke, and R2 rolled up to meet them. Obi-Wan looked especially happy to see his old friend again.

"So good to see you, Doctor," said Obi-Wan as he embraced the Doctor.

"You too, my friend," said the Doctor. "You've gotten old."

"And you have not aged a day," observed Obi-Wan. "That is extraordinarily rude of you."

"Same old wit is there, I see."

"It is indeed," said Obi-Wan. "Hello, young Jennara. A pleasure to see you grown."

"A pleasure to see you as well, Master Kenobi," said Jennara politely, bowing in reverence to one of the two men who had saved her life on Coruscant.

"And you must be Luke," said the Doctor, shaking the young man's hand.

"Yes," said Luke, a bit confused. "How do you know me?"

"I was there when you were born," said the Doctor. _I held you in my arms as your mother died on the operating table,_ he added to himself.

"Were you there, too, Ben?" asked Luke, who apparently addressed Obi-Wan as Ben.

"I was," said Obi-Wan. "You were quite a little tyke indeed."

Luke was about to say something more, but R2 beeped at the Doctor, telling the Gallifreyan that he had a message for him.

"He said he had a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Doctor," explained Luke. "I figured out that Obi-Wan was Ben, and I guess you're the Doctor."

"I am," said the Doctor. "Let's go inside so we can view the message in private, shall we?"

So all five of them went into the hut, where the Doctor found Padme Amidala's old protocol droid, C-3PO, sitting in the hut, shut down for the time being. The Doctor and Jennara sat down at a small table as R2-D2 played the holorecording stored in his memory banks for them.

The holorecording was of a woman wearing bright robes and a hood for concealment, who Obi-Wan explained was Leia Organa of Alderaan. The Doctor, Obi-Wan, and Jennara knew that Leia was Luke's sister, but Luke, however, did not.

"Generals Kenobi and Doctor," began Leia's hologram. "Many years ago, you both served my father, Bail Prestor Organa, in the Clone War. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire."

The Doctor and Jennara looked to each other. Bail Organa had orchestrated the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire, and Leia had decided to participate as well, apparently.

"I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person," continued Leia. "My ship has fallen under attack, and I am afraid that my mission to bring you both to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it."

The Doctor looked to R2-D2 with a sort of reverence now. The little droid held the fate of the galaxy in his memory. It was a huge responsibility for him.

"You must see this droid safely delivered to my father on Alderaan," begged Leia. "This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Master Jedi. You both are my only hope."

Leia's hologram looked around for a moment, then bent over and plugged a small chip into something, most likely R2. The hologram faded away, and the message was delivered.

The Doctor and Jennara both sat back in thought.

"She didn't mention you," said Luke to Jennara. "Did you not serve her father in the Clone War?"

"I didn't serve at all," answered Jennara. "I was only five years old when the first battle broke out. I was eight when it ended." She put her head down in sadness, causing Luke to try and comfort her for a moment.

"Well, Doctor?" asked Obi-Wan. "What do you think?"

"I think we need to go to Alderaan," said the Doctor. Turning to Luke, he added, "And I think you need to come with us."

"You, too?" asked Luke. "I can't. I've got the harvest to plan for. My uncle Owen needs me at home. I mean, I'm in for it as is, and now you want me to just up and leave for Alderaan?"

"Luke, it is as I said before," said Obi-Wan. "You must learn the ways of the Force."

"Yes," urged the Doctor. "I believe it is your destiny to learn the ways of the Jedi, like me, like Obi-Wan, like Jennara, and like your father."

"I can't," said Luke. "You've got transport now. The Doctor's freighter can take you to Alderaan. I can't get involved."

"We can't use the freighter, Luke," said Jennara. "The Empire will be searching for it."

"Why?" asked Luke.

"Well," said the Doctor, "we may have gotten into a spot of trouble on Corulag a few hours ago."

"Okay," said Luke. "Then, back to Plan A. I can take you to Anchorhead. You can get transport to Mos Eisley, then find a pilot willing to take you to Alderaan."

It seemed that Luke was adamant about not going. Clearly, he felt that he needed to stay with his uncle and work. If that was his decision, then the Doctor would go with it. They could always train Leia in the ways of the Force. Even through the hologram, the Doctor could sense how powerful she was in the Force. Even without her brother, she could probably hold her own against Vader and Sidious for a time with some training.

"Very well," said the Doctor, much to the surprise of Obi-Wan and Jennara. "If you don't want to go, you don't have to."

"Thank you for understanding, Doctor," said Luke.

"You will take us to Anchorhead, then?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Yeah," answered Luke. "You can take the R2 unit, but I have to keep the protocol droid. It's the only way we can translate Bocci."

"As you wish," said the Doctor, resigning to what Luke wanted to do at the moment. Somehow, he had the feeling that Luke would join them eventually, even if he didn't right this minute. He was content to wait.

The Doctor, Obi-Wan, Jennara, Luke, R2, and C-3PO, who had been reactivated and was now talking R2's auditory sensors off, all clambered into the landspeeder Luke had parked outside Obi-Wan's hut and made way for Anchorhead. The Doctor recalled that Anchorhead was a small town that, just like most settlements on Tatooine, was filled with spacers. One of them could take the group to Mos Eisley's Docking Bays, then have another pilot take them to Alderaan.

Jennara looked out at the Tatooine landscape in all its blandness and turned to the Doctor.

"Kind of a boring place to live, don't you think?" she asked.

"Not if you have to constantly evade Sand People," answered the Doctor. "Farmers outside of the established settlements have one of the hardest jobs in the galaxy. They provide for their family and keep the Sand People away as much as they can."

"Seems like a lot," said Jennara under her breath.

"It is," said Luke from the pilot's seat. "Trust me."

The landspeeder continued on through the Dune Sea on the way to Anchorhead. The Doctor and C-3PO were making conversation. It was the first time they had ever spoken to each other, though the Doctor remembered seeing C-3PO briefly on Polis Massa nineteen years ago.

"Hello," said the protocol droid. "I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations."

"Good to meet you, 3PO. I'm the Doctor."

"Begging your pardon, sir, but Doctor who?"

Jennara snickered at the question, causing C-3PO some alarm.

"Have I said something funny?" asked the droid, seeming genuinely confused.

"No, 3PO," answered the Doctor. "I just get that pretty often."

"More like every time he says his name," joked Jennara. "Every single time. Same question. Doctor who?"

"I fail to see how that is humorous," said 3PO, still confused beyond all belief.

"Don't worry about it, 3PO," said the Doctor as he spied something in the distance. The smile that illuminated his features quickly disappeared when he saw it. It was a sandcrawler, used by shrewd, diminutive businessmen called Jawas. There was smoke billowing out of the sandcrawler on all sides, as though it had been attacked by someone or something. The Doctor's curiosity took over. He had to help if he could.

"Look there!" he called. "That sandcrawler needs help!"

"I'm on it," said Luke, already piloting towards the sandcrawler.

Apparently, they were too late. Far too late. All of the Jawas, every last one, had been killed, their droids destroyed and their bodies littered around the sandcrawler.

"Oh, no," said Luke, jumping out of the landspeeder to inspect the damage. The Doctor, Jennara, Obi-Wan, and the droids followed him, and the Jedi quickly assessed the situation. Whoever did this was bloodthirsty, but also smart. The attackers left gaffi sticks and bantha tracks to make it look as though Sand People had done it. But something about those blast marks on the sandcrawler's treads caught the Doctor's eye. It caught Jennara's, too, and she studied the marks with meticulous scrutiny. The Doctor also caught the layout of the bantha tracks. Too random.

"Looks like Sand People," said Luke sadly.

"What makes you think that?" asked Jennara, who was still studying the blast marks.

"Well, they left gaffi sticks lying around here," observed Luke.

"But?" asked Obi-Wan, clearly sensing the uncertainty in Luke's assessment.

"I don't get it," said Luke. "I mean, look. There's gaffi sticks and bantha tracks all over the place. So, it looks like Sand People, but I've never heard of a tribe hitting anything this big before."

"That's because they didn't," said the Doctor, having figured out the true culprits behind the attack. "But we're meant to think they did."

"What do you mean?" asked Luke.

"Look around you," said the Doctor. "Observe everything. What do you notice?"

Luke looked around for a little bit while the Doctor saw C-3PO and R2-D2 gathering up the Jawas' bodies to burn. They must have figured out that there was not enough time to bury them all. The Doctor would have agreed with the droids. There wasn't time to waste. The Jedi had to deliver R2 to Alderaan safely before something terrible happened.

"The bantha tracks," called Luke, bringing the Doctor out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, what?" asked the Doctor.

"The bantha tracks are side-by-side," said Luke. "Don't Sand People always ride single-file?"

"Good," said the Doctor. "You're right. They do it to hide their numbers. The true attackers didn't care about hiding numbers."

"And look at these blast points," said Jennara.

"They're far too accurate for Sand People," said Obi-Wan.

"Yes, and they don't even come from blasters commonly used by Sand People," said Jennara. "They come from E-11s, the preferred weapon of an Imperial stormtrooper."

"How can you tell?" asked Luke.

"The E-11 have sharper, thinner, more piercing blasts than any of the blunt lasers the Sand People use," explained Jennara. "It's what makes them so accurate. The sandcrawler's got thin blast marks all over its treads. No Sand People tribe could have shot these weapons."

"But why?" asked the Doctor. "Why would stormtroopers want to slaughter Jawas?"

"Why indeed," said Obi-Wan, trying to figure out the mystery just as everyone else was.

Luke looked to R2 and 3PO, and he soon had it.

"These were the same Jawas that sold my uncle the droids," he said, fear dawning on his face. "If they traced the droids to who sold them, they might have figured out who they sold them to. That would lead them back..."

Luke's eyes widened to the size of plates.

"Home!" he exclaimed, fear evident on his face. "I have to go!"

"Luke, wait!" called Obi-Wan. "It's too dangerous!"

But the Doctor knew Luke wasn't listening. He was concerned for his aunt and uncle. The Doctor reached out to Luke's intended destination, but he found only death there. The Gallifreyan already knew that Luke's aunt and uncle were dead, but he didn't stop Luke.

"Luke!" called Jennara as Luke sped off toward his homestead.

"Let him go," said the Doctor. "He needs to see for himself."

"See what?" asked Jennara.

"What the Empire does," answered the Doctor.

"His family is dead," said Jennara, sensing the death coming from Luke's homestead.

"Yes," said the Doctor. "I should have been there to stop the Imperials."

"Doctor, don't do this to yourself," urged Obi-Wan. "You are not to blame for the murder of Owen and Beru Lars. There was nothing that any of us could have done to stop it."

The Doctor nodded, content with the answer, but still feeling a little guilty. Once again, the Empire managed to murder two more people right under his nose. His sense of righteous anger blazed in his heart as the three Jedi began to hold a small funeral for the Jawas, burning their bodies and sending their spirits into the Force. The three Jedi and the two droids watched the flames consume their bodies. As they did so, the Doctor heard the engine of a landspeeder. Luke had come back, and he got out of the landspeeder looking crestfallen. He knew that the stormtroopers sent here to find the droids had murdered his aunt and uncle. He looked about ready to burst into tears. The only family he had ever known had just died. The Doctor would have felt the same way.

"Luke, I'm sorry," said the Doctor. "I'm so sorry."

"There was nothing to be done, Luke," said Obi-Wan, putting a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder. "If you had stayed, the Imperials would have killed you, too. Then they would have the droids, and the Rebellion would have been crushed into oblivion."

Luke nodded, wiping his eyes briefly before making his declaration.

"There's nothing left for me here," he said softly. "I want to come with you to Alderaan. I want to learn the ways of the Force and be a Jedi Knight just like my father."

The Doctor said nothing, but he knew what Obi-Wan and Jennara were thinking. He was thinking the same thing. He was hoping that Luke didn't turn out quite like his father during his training.

"As you wish," said Obi-Wan. "We'll make heading straight for Mos Eisley, then."

"Come on, R2, 3PO," called the Doctor as he, Luke, Jennara, and Obi-Wan boarded the landspeeder.

"Where are we going, Doctor?" asked C-3PO as he and his counterpart climbed in the back.

"Mos Eisley, 3PO, then Alderaan," said the Doctor.

"Oh, how exciting," said 3PO.

R2 beeped at his counterpart.

"Yes, R2, I know that's where we were going anyway!" snapped 3PO, and Jennara and the Doctor both stifled snickers as Luke piloted the landspeeder through the Jundland Wastes of the Dune Sea. Several minutes passed by as they neared the small town of Mos Eisley. If all went well, the Doctor knew that they would find a pilot there who could take them to Alderaan. He could sense that their pilot would be found in Mos Eisley. He couldn't pinpoint their man exactly, but he was there. The Doctor could sense him, just out of sight, with just a hint of familiarity surrounding him. That was odd, but the Doctor put it out of his mind as the landspeeder came to a stop on the edge of a cliffside overlooking a town erected from the sands of the Dune Sea.

"Mos Eisley Spaceport!" said the Doctor, grinning with absolute joy. "We made it! Though, strictly speaking, we can't let down our guard down quite yet."

"He's right," said Obi-Wan. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."

"And we're supposed to find our pilot here?" asked Luke.

"Oh, yes," said Jennara, smiling briefly at the Doctor, for she had sensed the pilot, too. "We definitely will."

* * *

><p><strong>Good evening, friends! It is I, your friendly neighborhood blade0627, here to bring you a special Christmas chapter! Because it's still December 25 where I am, this is totally justified, even if it's really late.<strong>

**Anyway, I'm going to talk about the Christmas special tomorrow, when I post the regular Friday chapter. That should be fun!**

**In other news, "Adventures of the Doctor" is finished! Woohoo! Hooray for deadlines being met almost a week early! So, that's pretty cool! You'll see AotD on the site soon, I hope, so look out for that after "Return of the Jedi" is finished.**

**Tomorrow: The Doctor and company travel to Mos Eisley Spaceport to have a fateful meeting with their pilot.**

**And that's about it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**

**Oh, by the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

**Okay, now I'm done.**


	4. Mos Eisley Spaceport

Chapter Three: Mos Eisley Spaceport

Luke piloted the landspeeder into the town of Mos Eisley. The Doctor rode in the backseat with Jennara while Obi-Wan sat up front with Luke. The droids took the space behind the Doctor and Jennara. The Doctor noticed a few heads beginning to turn as the party of six glided through the streets of Mos Eisley on a landspeeder. But that didn't stop the citizens from going about their daily business and totally ignoring the group. Unfortunately, the stormtroopers patrolling the town, no doubt looking for R2 and, to an extent, 3PO, were not so keen to leave them alone.

"Hold it!" called a patrol captain guarding a checkpoint.

Luke brought the landspeeder to a stop. The captain and his squad regarded the Doctor, Jennara, Luke, and Obi-Wan with little interest, instead focusing on the droids. The Doctor regarded this as an advantage. The Jedi could sneak by them this way, hiding in plain sight. They would never be suspected.

"How long have you had these droids?" asked the captain.

"About two or three seasons," lied Luke, not even missing a beat.

"They're up for sale if you want them," said Obi-Wan.

The Doctor felt Jennara's pulse rise ever so slightly. She was worried that they would find them out and kill them.

_Stay calm,_ the Doctor thought to her. _We'll get out of this yet._

_Thanks,_ thought Jennara as her heart rate slowed back down to normal.

Meanwhile, the captain didn't seem to be buying Luke and Obi-Wan's story.

"Let me see some ID," ordered the Captain as he stepped forward and the others readied their weapons.

Thinking quickly, the Doctor called on his command of the Force. He sensed Obi-Wan and Jennara doing the same just milliseconds later.

"You don't need to see his identification," said the Doctor with a wave of his hand.

"We don't need to see his identification," repeated the captain, sounding a bit dizzy from the effects of the Jedi Mind Trick.

"And these aren't the droids you're looking for," said Obi-Wan, waving his hand similarly to the Doctor.

"These aren't the droids we're looking for," repeated the captain, still dazed from having his mind taken over by a Jedi Master.

"You're going to let us pass," ordered Jennara, concentrating more when she waved her hand at the captain. Being a Padawan, she didn't have the skill of the two Jedi Masters, but it was effective nonetheless.

"We're going to let you pass," said the captain, sounding as though the idea were his own. "Move along. Move along."

Luke obeyed the captain's "order," though he was very confused. He didn't say anything until they had parked outside a cantina. The Doctor had felt the pilot's presence in that cantina. He called out to Luke to stop just outside, and when he parked, he asked the question that had certainly been on his mind since their encounter with the patrol.

"What was all that?"

"That was us using the Force," explained the Doctor vaguely.

"Couldn't you tell by our casual arm waves?" asked Jennara cheekily.

"Well, yeah, but how did you do that?" asked Luke. "I thought we were dead back there when he asked for my identification."

"The Force," said Obi-Wan, "can have an unusually strong effect on the weak-minded."

"Come on, then," said the Doctor. "Our pilot's in here."

The cantina they had entered was bustling with life of all kinds. The Doctor could make out dozens of different aliens all converging together at tables or at the bar for some drinks before going about their lives. He could see a Devaronian having a drink with an Ithorian. Two Duros were discussing something that the Doctor couldn't quite make out on his own without the assistance of the Force due to the other voices all chattering around him. There was a Bith band playing a very catchy tune on various instruments. Bith were well-known for their musical talents, and this group of four was very good indeed. The bartender was serving a drink to a bat-like alien called a Chadra-Fan. Meanwhile, loads of beings from all over the galaxy were waiting for their own drinks rather patiently.

The Doctor, Jennara, and Obi-Wan had already moved to the bar and were trying to look for a pilot to take them to Alderaan so they could meet with Bail Organa.

"What'll it be, my friend?" asked the bartender when the Doctor and Jennara sat together at the bar. He was asking the Doctor, who wasn't in the mood for anything strong.

"Do you have any tea here?" asked the Doctor.

"Sorry, no tea," said the bartender sadly. "For that, you'll have to go to Coruscant." The Doctor knew for a fact that Coruscant was now referred to as Imperial Center by most of the galaxy, its old name erased. The fact that the bartender called the planet by its name under the Republic surprised him, but he showed none of it. Instead, his face most likely betrayed sadness. The Jedi Temple still stood on Coruscant in its ruined state, a symbol of the Empire's power and the death of the Jedi Order.

"Yeah, I wish," said the Doctor sadly.

"What about you, young lady?" asked the bartender. "What can I get you?"

"Nothing for me, either, thanks," answered Jennara. "And you can tell that Talz sitting in the back that, while I am flattered by his obvious interest in me, I don't reciprocate."

The bartender stifled a snicker as he said, "Sure thing."

The Doctor gazed around, looking for the pilot he had sensed. He had to be in here somewhere, but where? Where could he be in this cantina? He could sense Jennara and Obi-Wan looking for someone as well, but they didn't know who to look for. The Doctor would know him as soon as he saw him.

His old eyes had twice over scanned the crowd of beings, trying to find the pilot, when he was inexplicably drawn to look to the right. On his immediate right was a big, hairy, beast-like being. He was humanoid, but much bigger than a human, completely covered in brown fur from head to toe. The only clothing he wore was a bandoleer strapped across his chest and a bowcaster attached to the bandoleer. The Doctor could tell he was male because the females of his species were not nearly as broad as this one. Based on that, and the familiarity the Doctor already had with him, there was only one thing this being could be.

A Wookiee.

"Chewbacca!" exclaimed the Doctor.

Chewbacca turned to the Doctor upon hearing his name, and his face split into a wide grin as he recognized his friend and one-time partner in war.

"Doctor!" exclaimed Chewbacca in Shyriiwook, his native language. "It's wonderful to see you again after all this time!"

"All this time?" asked Jennara, who could understand Shyriiwook. "What's he mean by that?"

"Well, Chewbacca and I are war buddies," said the Doctor. "We served on Kashyyyk together. He, uh..." The Doctor trailed off for a moment. He was thinking about the circumstances surrounding the Battle of Kashyyyk nineteen years ago.

"He helped you get off-planet, didn't he?" asked Jennara knowingly. She could read his expressions, if not his thoughts.

"Yeah," said the Doctor, nodding his head. "So, Chewbacca, tell me, how'd you end up so far away from Kashyyyk?"

"When the Empire took over, I was forced into slavery along with many of my people," explained Chewbacca. "I hijacked the slaving ship I was on and saved all I could. An Imperial officer was sent to kill me. Instead, he defected and rescued me. We've been travelling the galaxy ever since."

"Really?" asked the Doctor in Shyriiwook. "Do you think you and your friend could help us out?"

"I might be able to convince him," answered Chewbacca. "What do you need?"

"Transport," said the Doctor. "To Alderaan. And we need to get there fast."

"My friend and I are owners of one of the fastest ships in the galaxy," said Chewbacca. "Wherever you need to go, we'll get you there."

"Brilliant!" said the Doctor.

"I will speak with him." Chewbacca then walked off to his friend, the pilot. The Doctor could sense that the man Chewbacca was going to talk to and the man the Gallifreyan had sensed earlier in the day were one and the same. His gut instinct told him that they had found who they were looking for.

"Hey," said Luke, coming up to the bar with Obi-Wan. "Any luck?"

"I think I may have just gotten us a ride out of here," said the Doctor. "I met an old friend of mine, and he says he and his co-pilot can help us get to Alderaan."

"For a fee?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Without doubt," said the Doctor. "These smuggler types won't do anything without a fee. I wouldn't be surprised if-"

The Doctor was interrupted by an ugly Aqualish and an even uglier human stepping in between him and Luke. Obi-Wan, Jennara, and the Doctor were all shoved out of the way as the human spoke to Luke.

"He doesn't like you," said the human, pointing to his companion.

"I'm sorry," said Luke, a bit confused, but apologetic nonetheless.

"I don't like you, either," said the human. "You just watch yourself now. We're wanted men. I have the death sentence on twelve systems."

"I'll be careful, then," said Luke, a smart grin on his face.

"You'll be dead!" shouted the human, pulling a blaster and leveling it at Luke's abdomen.

"Oh, come on," said Jennara, trying to defuse the situation. "This one's not worth the effort."

"No, but you might be," said the human with a suggestive leer. The Doctor was horrified and just a touch angry when he started openly staring at Jennara's chest.

"Stop that," said the Doctor. "Let me get you something."

"You want to try and stop me, boy?" asked the human, clearly thinking he was older than the Doctor. The Doctor scoffed at this remark, enraging the human beyond belief.

"I don't think you know who I am!" said the human, turning his blaster on the Doctor. "I'm the Doctor!"

The Doctor saw Jennara stifle a smirk when she looked at the human and heard his remark about his name.

"No," said the Doctor. "I'm the Doctor."

The human shoved Luke and Jennara out of the way. He and the Aqualish both turned on the Doctor, but the Gallifreyan and Obi-Wan were both too quick for them. In a flash of light, Obi-Wan and the Doctor activated their lightsabers and deflected the short-range blasts the two thugs had sent towards them. Obi-Wan sliced the Aqualish's arm off while the Doctor pushed the human away with the Force. The human was sent flying into the bar and was knocked out in an instant. The Aqualish fainted shortly thereafter from the shock of losing his arm.

The Doctor grimaced as he and Obi-Wan deactivated their lightsabers. The patrons had seen the entire scuffle, and the music had even stopped playing as the band members looked on in shock. The bartender cautiously rose from behind the bar, an expression of relief written on his face when he realized it was over. Casually, as though nothing had happened, the patrons resumed their conversations and their drinking, and the band started up the song again.

"So, this person you met, Doctor, where is he?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Over there, talking to the pilot," said the Doctor, pointing out Chewbacca and his friend, a man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, wearing a white shirt and black vest with blue pants and a blaster attached to his waist. The Doctor knew him to be their pilot. His aura was the same as when the Doctor had first sensed him outside of Mos Eisley.

"More importantly," said the Doctor, "Where are the droids?"

"They had to wait outside," said Luke. "This cantina apparently has a strict, no-droids policy."

"Don't they all," said Jennara with a grimace.

The Doctor saw that Chewbacca was motioning to them to come over. Apparently, the pilot was willing to meet them. The Doctor smiled, and the four of them sauntered over to their table. The pilot introduced himself.

"Han Solo," he said promptly. "I'm captain of the _Millenium Falcon_."

"This is Luke, Obi-Wan, and Jennara," said the Doctor, indicating all three of them. "I'm the Doctor, by the way."

"Doctor what?" asked Han, causing Jennara to snicker. "Something funny?" added Han.

"No, it's just..." said the Doctor, stifling laughter of his own. "That's not the question I normally get when I introduce myself."

"What do you normally get?" asked Han.

"Usually, it's 'Doctor who?'" said the Doctor. "Sometimes, though, it's 'What the hell are you doing on this planet?'"

"Whatever," said Han, bored with this line of conversation. "Anyway, Chewie here tells me you guys need passage to Alderaan. Is that true?"

"It is," said the Doctor. "He told me it was a fast ship. Is that true?"

"Fast ship?" asked Han, seemingly offended that anyone would question his ship. "You've never heard of the _Millenium Falcon_?"

"Should we have?" asked Obi-Wan.

"It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs," said Han proudly. At this, Obi-Wan, Jennara, and the Doctor tried to look unimpressed, although the Doctor could sense they were feeling otherwise.

"I've outrun Imperial starships," said Han.

"So have we," said Jennara, indicating herself and the Doctor. "So what?"

"Tell me something," said Han. "Were you outrunning the little bulk cruisers or the big Star Destroyers, like the ones on Kuat?"

"The cruisers," said Jennara. "We've never had to encounter the big ones."

"Well, me and Chewie have," said Han. "And we've outrun them every single time. She's fast enough for you."

"I guess we'll see," said Jennara.

"What's the cargo?" Han asked the Doctor.

"It's the four of us, plus two droids, and no questions asked," said the Doctor.

Han smirked and asked, "Some kind of local trouble or something?"

"Let's just say we don't want any Imperial entanglements hindering our journey," said Obi-Wan.

"We've already had enough of those," said the Doctor.

"Well, that's the real trick, isn't it?" asked Han rhetorically. "And it's gonna cost you quite a bit. Ten thousand credits, all in advance."

"Ten thousand?!" cried Luke, who had stayed silent thus far and let the Jedi handle the negotiations. Clearly, ten thousand was pricey to him. "We could buy our own ship for that!"

"Yeah, but who's gonna fly it, kid?" asked Han.

"I could do it," said Luke. "I'm not such a bad pilot myself!"

"Luke, calm down, please," said the Doctor. "Alright, here's the deal. We can pay you two thousand credits now, plus another fifteen when we get to Alderaan."

"Seventeen thousand?" said Han, a mild look of shock. He had not been expecting this.

"Do we have a deal, then?" asked the Doctor.

"Yeah," said Han. "You guys have yourselves a ship. We'll leave when you're ready. I'm at Docking Bay 94."

"We will be there soon," said Obi-Wan.

"Maybe sooner would be better," said Jennara. "Look."

The Doctor turned and saw a few Imperial stormtroopers walk into the cantina. He saw the bartender point in their direction briefly before turning back to the table.

"We should go," he said quickly. "We'll meet you at 94."

The four of them got up from the table and followed a few patrons out of the cantina back to the landspeeder, where C-3PO and R2-D2 were waiting for them.

"You'll have to sell the speeder," said Obi-Wan. "Otherwise, we won't have the money necessary for our trip."

"That's okay," said Luke. "I won't be coming back to this planet ever again."

"Oh, hello, Master Luke," said C-3PO as the four approached the droids.

"Hey, 3PO," said Luke.

"Are we going to Alderaan?" asked the protocol droid.

"Yeah, we found a pilot to take us there," said Luke with a hint of disdain towards Han. "Anyway, we'll have to sell the speeder, and six people travelling together might look suspicious to the Imperials."

"We'll have to split up," said Obi-Wan.

"How should we do it, then?" asked Jennara. "The Doctor and I will bring the droids and Luke and Master Kenobi sell the speeder?"

"That plan is sound," said Obi-Wan.

"We'll go with that, then," said the Doctor. "May the Force be with you both."

"And you, Doctor," said Obi-Wan as he and Luke took the speeder to sell it.

The Doctor and Jennara were left to take the droids to Docking Bay 94, where Han and Chewbacca were probably waiting for them. They walked through the streets of Mos Eisley, careful to avoid the stormtroopers on patrol whenever they happened to walk past. C-3PO talked endlessly about how he did not want to be stuck in this situation and how it was probably all R2's fault that they were stuck in this mess anyway. The Doctor and Jennara tuned his complaining out as they found their way through Mos Eisley to Docking Bay 94.

Along the way, the Doctor thought about what they were getting into when they decided to go to Alderaan. Clearly, Luke and the Jedi would be getting involved with the Rebel Alliance, but the Doctor wondered what danger getting involved would impose upon them. For one, they would be going up against the Empire. Secondly, and more importantly, Darth Sidious would know about it. He would know that the Jedi were resurfacing against him and that they were growing in number. He would send his apprentice, Vader, to hunt them down, or he might even go after them himself. The Doctor could barely stand up to Sidious. He shuddered to think how quickly Jennara might be defeated at his hand.

"Doctor, are you okay?" asked Jennara worriedly, drawing the Doctor out of his thoughts. "You look tense."

"I'm just...thinking, that's all," answered the Doctor.

"About what?" asked Jennara.

"The danger we're about to get into," said the Doctor.

"We've faced danger before, Doctor," said Jennara.

"Yes, but not on this scale."

"What do you mean?"

"We're going to be up against the entire Galactic Empire," said the Doctor. "And our involvement with the Rebel Alliance will be noticed by Darth Sidious eventually. I'm just not sure that the Jedi are ready to take him on."

"You think he'll hunt us down before Luke's training can be completed?" asked Jennara, adopting an expression of fear.

"I don't know," said the Doctor. "For now, we'll just keep our heads down, okay?"

"Fair enough."

After their short conversation, the Doctor, Jennara, R2, and 3PO were joined by Luke and Obi-Wan. Luke showed them the money they had gotten for the landspeeder. It just barely covered their initial cost of two thousand credits. The rest would be paid through Bail Organa when they reached Alderaan.

"Come on," said the Doctor as they drew ever closer to Docking Bay 94. "This way."

"I don't like this, R2," said C-3PO after a few minutes of walking. "Not one bit."

R2 beeped and whistled at his counterpart.

"You just watch your language in front of Master Luke," snapped 3PO.

"3PO, calm down," said Luke with a smirk. "We're here."

"And if the ship is as fast as Captain Solo is boasting, we should do well indeed," commented Obi-Wan as they reached their objective.

The Doctor smiled at Chewbacca, who was standing in the doorway of Docking Bay 94. The Wookiee smiled back and motioned the group through the door. Chewbacca, Luke, and Obi-Wan went through first, then R2 and 3PO, and finally, the Doctor and Jennara. The Wookiee led them down a flight of stairs into the docking bay, and there sat the _Millenium Falcon_. It was a YT-1300 freighter from what the Doctor could tell, and it looked to be heavily modified. The carbon scoring all along the hull told him that the ship had seen a lot of action. The junky state of the ship also told him that the _Millenium Falcon_ had not seen an adequate number of repairs to counterbalance that carbon scoring.

"What a piece of junk!" cried Luke, unimpressed by the sight of Han Solo's ship.

"Hey, don't be knocking my baby," said Han, who was greasing the _Falcon_ with a rag. "She'll make point-five past lightspeed. She may not look the best, but she has it where it counts."

"Which is?" asked Jennara.

"In the modifications," said Han. "I made a lot of them myself. I'd explain them all to you, but we're rushed for time. If you'll just get on board, then, we'll get outta here. Alright?"

"Fair enough," said Obi-Wan, and he led Luke aboard the ship. R2 and 3PO followed them, greeting Han along the way. The Doctor saw Chewbacca get in the cockpit of the _Falcon_, and he and Jennara were just about to get onboard when he felt a small disturbance in the Force. Someone was coming to meet them, and they had ill intentions.

"I sense them, too," said Jennara, interpreting the Doctor's sudden alertness and retrieving her lightsaber from her belt.

"Captain Solo, we might be having a bit of company soon," warned the Doctor, retrieving his own lightsabers.

"Right," said Han, pulling out his blaster. "Thanks for the warning."

For a few tense moments, they waited. The three of them saw nothing, but the Doctor knew that something was coming. His suspicions were confirmed when several soldiers in white armor entered the Docking Bay. Imperial stormtroopers had found them.

"There they are!" said one of them. "Blast them!"

As soon as the Imperial troops opened fire, the Doctor and Jennara activated their lightsabers and began immediately returning their blaster bolts. Han fired shots of his own, and together, they managed to take down a few of the troops. While the stormtroopers were distracted by the explosions that Han's blaster caused, the Doctor, Jennara, and Han all bounded aboard the _Millenium Falcon_.

"Chewie, get us out of here!" shouted Han to his co-pilot as he shut the main entrance hatch.

The Doctor and Jennara deactivated their lightsabers and ran into the main hold of the _Falcon_, where Obi-Wan, Luke, 3PO, and R2 were all seated.

"Buckle up!" called the Doctor to Jennara, smiling like a madman as the group did as he instructed.

"Oh dear," complained 3PO. "I've forgotten how much I hate flying!"

The Doctor held on tight as the _Millenium Falcon _made a quick getaway out of Tatooine's atmosphere. He looked to Jennara, who was smiling at him in pure delight. She was enjoying this just as much as he was.

Unfortunately, the danger was not over. After Han and Chewbacca stabilized the ship, the Doctor sensed more danger. He could see it clearly. Two Imperial Star Destroyers were giving chase. He bounded up to the cockpit to assist Han and Chewbacca in any way he could. Jennara, Luke, and Obi-Wan followed him, and the small cockpit in which the Doctor entered soon became quite crowded.

"Stay sharp, Chewie. Two more coming in," said Han.

"They're trying to cut us off," inferred Jennara.

"Can't you outrun them?" asked Luke. "This ship is fast, isn't it?"

"Watch your mouth, kid, and let me do my job," snapped Han. "We'll be safe enough once we make the jump. In the meantime, I know a few maneuvers. We'll lose them yet."

As the Star Destroyers gained on them, the Doctor could sense utter enjoyment coming from Han. He was having a lot of fun for someone in mortal peril. Then again, the Doctor usually felt that way, too, especially when he was at the center of the action.

"This is where the fun begins," said Han with a devilish grin. The Doctor stared at him for a few milliseconds, surprised by his choice of words. He had heard Anakin Skywalker utter that same phrase nineteen years ago at the Battle of Coruscant.

"How long before we jump?" inquired Obi-Wan, eager to get out of the danger.

"It'll be just a few moments for the navicomputer to give me the coordinates," reported Han.

"Are you serious?!" cried Luke. "At the rate they're gaining?!"

"Hey!" snapped Han. "Interstellar travel ain't like dusting crops. Without precise calculations, we'd fly right through a planet's core or bounce too close to a supernova, and it's bye-bye, Alderaan for you."

An alarm sounded off in the confusion, and Luke quickly pointed it out.

"Ah, poodoo," said Han. "We're losing a deflector shield. Strap yourselves in! I'll make the jump to lightspeed!"

The Doctor, Jennara, Luke, and Obi-Wan all bounded back into the main hold of the _Falcon_ and strapped in again. As soon as they had done so, the Doctor felt a sudden increase in speed. He could no longer hear the rumblings of a shield being fired at. Han had done it. He had outmaneuvered the Star Destroyers.

They were on their way to Alderaan at last.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello again! Back to our regularly scheduled chapter! Woohoo!<strong>

**Right, so, I missed the Christmas Special, unfortunately, and it wasn't on Xfinity On Demand like I kinda hoped it would be. So, that's unfortunate. I'll watch it when I get a chance, then talk about it. Hopefully, I will have watched it by next Friday. I would assume that to be the case, though, as On Demand is pretty good about getting Doctor Who stuff on a few days after the new episode. I don't know if that's how it works with Christmas Specials, but hopefully, it is. Anyway, so sorry about that. I'll talk about it eventually. Until then, I humbly request you not to spoil it for me, although I already know that Clara leaves, so that's going to make me sad. *tear drop***

**In case you missed it in the last chapter, I'll say it again. "Adventures of the Doctor" is completely finished, so that's awesome! One story for each Doctor, save for Eleven, although I suppose you could count "Return to the Temple" as the Eleventh Doctor adventure.**

**Next Friday: The gang journeys to Alderaan, and Luke Skywalker learns of the power of the Force, in both great ways and small ways.**

**Anyway, that's it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	5. Subtleties of the Force

Chapter Four: Subtleties of the Force

The Doctor heard Luke let out a sigh of relief. Clearly, he was happy to have made it out of that situation alive.

"That was way too close," he said, breathing heavily.

"Agreed, Master Luke," said C-3PO. "Let's hope we never have to face a situation like that again."

"So, Luke, shall we begin?" asked Obi-Wan suddenly, rising from his seat and grabbing a small helmet and probe from a canister on the far side of the main hold.

"Begin?" asked Luke. "Begin what?"

"Your training, of course," said Obi-Wan.

"He's right, Luke," said the Doctor. "You have to start as soon as possible, and now's as good a time as any to do just that."

"Okay," said Luke, standing up and joining Obi-Wan. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to stand right where you are and activate your father's lightsaber," commanded Obi-Wan. Luke did so, and the blade that had killed so many Jedi ignited once more. The Doctor shivered at it so imperceptibly that Jennara was the only one who noticed. She shivered, too, as she knew that that blade might have killed her, too, had she not stayed put during the Temple attack.

"Now, I need you to watch this probe droid very carefully and deflect its lasers when they fire," ordered Obi-Wan.

"Okay," said Luke. "Doesn't sound too hard."

But Luke underestimated the probe droid. As soon as it lifted off, it fired at Luke, singing his pants and burning his leg just slightly. The boy cried out in pain, but steadied himself as he prepared for the next bolt. he carefully kept his eyes on the probe, lightsaber at the ready. He didn't even look back when Chewbacca and R2 began playing a game of dejarik with 3PO acting as mediator and advisor to his counterpart. Han was staying in the cockpit for a little while longer to make absolutely sure that the Star Destroyers they had evaded on Tatooine weren't following them.

The Doctor and Jennara watched Luke along with Obi-Wan, commenting their thoughts to each other telepathically.

_He's got good concentration,_ thought Jennara.

_You're right,_ agreed the Doctor. _He knows when to focus on his objective. That will help him in meditation. His foresight, though..._

_It needs work,_ thought Jennara with a smile. _We'll get him to where he needs to go. But what about his sister?_

_She has potential_, thought the Doctor. _I could sense it through the hologram. It's very powerful. We'll have to see what she can do._

_When will that even come about, though? _asked Jennara.

_I don't know, but-_

The Doctor's telepathic communication with Jennara was interrupted by screaming. It was a distant, yet heart-wrenching scream that sounded like a billion voices all at once, crying to the Doctor for help. His hearts ached, and he collapsed on the floor of the main hold. He could see Jennara holding her head in pain and Obi-Wan holding his heart and taking a seat.

"Doctor, Ben, Jennara!" cried Luke. "Are you all right? What happened?"

"We felt a disturbance in the Force. A great one," said Jennara, the first to recover.

"It was as if a billion voices cried out in terror and were silenced," said Obi-Wan.

"Something terrible has happened," said the Doctor. "I sense pain, suffering, death."

"You'd better get back to your exercises, Luke," said Obi-Wan while Jennara helped the Doctor to his feet.

"Doctor," said a voice that didn't belong to anyone on the ship. "Doctor."

The Doctor got up and looked around, searching for the source of the voice. He quickly found it, but it was a being he thought long dead. Plo Koon had suddenly appeared on the _Millenium Falcon_.

"Plo?" asked the Doctor quietly, positive that this was another hallucination.

"They're dead, Doctor," said Plo. "You know that Alderaan is dead."

"I don't believe you," said the Doctor.

"But you do, Doctor," said Plo, staying completely still. "You felt it just now."

The Doctor sighed, but said nothing. Plo nodded his head.

"You know, Doctor," said the Kel Dor apparition. "You know that Alderaan is dead, and you did nothing to save them. Just as you did nothing to save the Jedi. We died because of your inability to see, Doctor."

"That's not true!" shouted the Doctor. "It isn't true!"

"Come to your senses, Doctor," ordered Plo. "Of course it's true!"

"No! I don't believe you!"

"Doctor?"

Plo hadn't spoken this time. This time, it was Jennara. She was looking at him worriedly, as though she had just seen him freak out again. Obi-Wan, Chewbacca, Luke, and the droids were looking at him as well.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," lied the Doctor. "Continue on, then."

"Okay," said Luke.

When the Doctor looked back to where he had seen the apparition of his dead friend, he saw nothing. Plo had disappeared.

As Luke activated his lightsaber and squared off against the probe droid once more, Han Solo came swaggering into the main hold of the Millenium Falcon.

"Well, you can forget those Imperial slugs," he said confidently as he sat down in his chair. "I told you I'd outrun them."

The Doctor, Luke, Obi-Wan, Jennara, the droids, and even Chewbacca ignored Han, much to the smuggler's dismay.

"Don't everybody thank me at once," he said bitterly.

The Doctor, still a bit shaken from his encounter with Plo Koon and wanting to get his mind off it, watched Luke intently as the probe fired at him. Luke, guided by the Force, managed to deflect two blaster bolts in rapid succession. The Doctor congratulated him in his mind and saw the small smile playing on Obi-Wan's face. He was happy for Luke, the Doctor could tell.

"How long until we're at Alderaan?" asked Obi-Wan without taking his eyes off Luke.

"We should be there at about oh-two-hundred hours," reported Han.

Obi-Wan made a small noise, then continued watching Luke along with the Doctor and Jennara. The Doctor noticed that he was a natural at Shii-Cho, the most basic of lightsaber forms, without having taken any formal lessons in the style. If he were a natural now, when he became a Master, he probably would have given Kit Fisto a run for his money in his mastery of the form.

Luke continued to eye the probe carefully. The Doctor, Jennara, and Obi-Wan watched him carefully, ignoring all else. Chewbacca was making a fuss over the dejarik game, and Han was counseling the droids not to question the Wookiee, lest he would tear their arms out, but the Doctor ignored it, focusing solely on Luke. He wanted to see how this played out.

"Remember," counseled Obi-Wan. "A Jedi feels the Force flowing through him."

"So, it controls your actions?" asked Luke, not taking his eyes from the probe.

"In a way, yes, but it also obeys your commands," said the Doctor. "A skilled Jedi can move mountains using the Force and a single wave of his hand."

"Can you do that?" asked Luke.

"I could, yes, when I was younger," said the Doctor. "I haven't tried it in a while, but I'm sure I might be able to do it now."

"Cool," said Luke as the probe droid floated around him. The sneaky little ball managed to aim a shot low that caught Luke off-guard and hit him in the calf. At the sight of this, Han laughed.

"What a bunch of nonsense," said Han.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Jennara, sounding pretty offended by the comment.

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side," explained Han.

Deactivating Anakin's old lightsaber, Luke asked Han, "You don't believe in the Force, do you?"

"Kid, I've flown from one end of the galaxy to the other," said Han. "There's a lot of strange stuff, but there ain't nothing out there that makes me believe in some mystical, all-powerful Force that controls everything."

"The Doctor and I have been all across the galaxy, just like you," said Jennara. "We've believed in the Force all our lives."

"That's your problem, then," said Han sarcastically. "There ain't some cosmic power that controls my destiny. Bunch of simple tricks and nonsense."

Obi-Wan looked amused at Han's remarks, but didn't address them directly. Instead, he grabbed the helmet at his side and gave it to Luke.

"I think you should try it again, Luke," he said, putting the helmet on Luke. This way, the boy couldn't see the probe. "This time, act on instinct. Let go of your conscious self."

"But how am I supposed to fight with the blast shield down?" asked Luke. "I can't even see."

"Your eyes can deceive you, Luke," said the Doctor, eager to prove Han's disbelief wrong. "You shouldn't trust them." He thought back to his most recent hallucination with Plo and decided that what he had just said was irrefutably true.

Luke readied himself, and the probe droid swirled around him, firing off a shot that got through. Luke recoiled, frustrated by his lack of vision.

"Use your feelings," counseled the Doctor. "Stretch out. Feel the Force flowing through you like a river."

"All right," said Luke, readying himself again.

This time, the probe fired off three consecutive bolts, not something any casual learner could do after only a few minutes of training and with no sight, but Luke managed to deflect all three.

"Yes!" cried Jennara.

"See? What did I tell you?" asked the Doctor rhetorically. "You can do it."

"I call it luck," said Han drily.

"There's no such thing in my experience," said Obi-Wan.

"I'm just saying, good against remotes is one thing," said Han. "Good against real people, that's something else entirely."

"Maybe for you, but not for a Jedi," said the Doctor.

"All right," said Han sarcastically as a beeping rang out in the main hold. It was the proximity alert. They were soon arriving at Alderaan or what was left of it, if the Doctor was right.

He hoped to the Force that he wasn't.

* * *

><p><strong>Not even going to comment on this chapter, not because I don't like it. I really do like it, and I hope you did as well, but I want to talk about the Christmas Special, which I saw a while ago, and I have just been bursting to talk about that amazing episode, so here we go!<strong>

**Happy New Year, by the way.**

**Anyway, the episode. It was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, primarily because I thought Clara would be leaving the TARDIS for good this time, but...**

***SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN THE EPISODE, BUT COME ON, GUYS, SERIOUSLY, YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY SEEN IT, IN WHICH CASE THIS SPOILER ALERT IS KIND OF INVALID BUT STILL TOTALLY VALID, SO JUST GO WITH IT, OKAY?***

**...Clara doesn't leave! *many whoops of joy* Seriously, though, I was so happy when Clara didn't leave that I actually fist-pumped the air. It was great. Clara, as a character, has really grown in Series 8, and she's not just a pretty face anymore, which is awesome! I can't wait to see how she grows more in Series 9! It's going to be awesome!**

**Onto the Doctor. Peter Capaldi once again shows us his mastery of the role of the Twelfth Doctor, that sort of feisty old guy with a humorous side that's very, very subtle, but you can still see it. And Twelve has grown as a character as well, at least from my perspective. You can tell that he genuinely cares about Clara and will do just about anything to ensure that she makes it through the adventure. In previous adventures, that wasn't always clear to me. I couldn't always tell if the Twelfth Doctor cared for Clara's well-being. But there is a method to his madness, and Clara makes it out okay through everything, even if others don't.**

**Nick Frost as Santa Claus was great. To me, he was kind of like the glue that held the episode's plot together. Without his presence, not a whole lot would make sense. Santa tied it all together, really, and that's pretty cool. The supporting cast was really good, too. Some unanswered questions about a few of them, but I think that's how Moffat likes it. He lets the audience make its own conclusions about some of the more minor plot points that ties in the major plot points. Some might call it lazy writing, but I disagree. Moffat knows his audience is smart enough to fill in the gaps, which is partially why I hate when people criticize Moffat-penned episodes on the point of "plot holes."**

**All in all, Last Christmas was a fantastic episode! Can't wait for Series 9!**

**Question: What was your favorite episode of Series 8 (Last Christmas included)? What was your least favorite episode? My favorite episode was probably the "Dark Water/Death in Heaven" arc, with "Time Heist" and "Deep Breath" being very close seconds. I liked how they tied everything together and pit the Doctor against two of his most famous and deadly foes. I also like that they brought the Brigadier back. That was pretty cool. My least favorite episode would have to be...I don't actually know. It's been a while since I've seen some of these episodes. I'd need to re-familiarize myself with them before I make a judgement as to which episode I liked the least. I'll get back to you on that one. In any case, leave your answers in a review/private message! I'm curious to hear what you thought of this series of Doctor Who!**

**Sidenote: I've started reading "Star Wars: Darth Plagueis," by James Luceno, a novel that explores the backstory of Darth Plagueis, Darth Sidious's Sith Master, and the events leading up to and even during The Phantom Menace. I'm only about nine or ten chapters in, and I've got to say that this book is awesome! I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good Star Wars book, or a good book in general. I always like stories that tell it from the bad guy's perspective, or at least the perceived "bad guy" perspective, like Timothy Zahn did in "Star Wars: Allegiance" with the squad of five stormtroopers who turn on the Empire. Anyway, "Darth Plagueis" is a very well-written book, and I definitely recommend that you guys check it out. When I finish "Darth Plagueis," I might stop by a Barnes & Noble and pick up "Star Wars: Tarkin," another James Luceno novel, which I've heard praises about. If I do ever eventually buy that book, I'll be sure to let you know what I think about it.**

**Next Friday: The Doctor and the crew of the _Millenium Falcon_ arrive on Alderaan, only to find something far more sinister waiting for them.**

**Whew! What an author's note. That was a pretty long one by my standards. In any case, that's about the end of it. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	6. That's No Moon

Chapter Five: That's No Moon

The Doctor had a very bad feeling about this. He tried to reach out and sense Alderaan, but when he did, he found nothing. An empty void. what once was there was now somehow missing in the Force, and the Doctor couldn't place it. How did a planet simply disappear? He would have asked Obi-Wan, but to joke at such a stressful time would have been crass on the Doctor's part. They needed to get to Alderaan. They needed to get to Bail, Leia, and the rebels. They needed to do it fast.

The Doctor, Jennara, Obi-Wan, and Luke ran into the cockpit of the _Millenium Falcon_, and Han gave them a briefing of what was going on.

"We've come out of hyperspace into an asteroid field," he said, explaining the rocking of the ship they were all feeling by now. "It's not on a chart. It's like it just came up out of nowhere. The coordinates are right. We are at Alderaan, except no Alderaan."

The Doctor's fears were confirmed when he looked out the blast shield. He could hear the screams of the dead Alderaanians, including Bail Organa and his wife. The Doctor's hearts ached again, and he longed to be away from this place.

"Well, where is it?" asked Luke.

"Destroyed," said the Doctor. "Most likely by the Empire. A billion souls, vanquished instantly."

"Impossible," countered Han. "The Imperial fleet couldn't have destroyed the entire planet. It would take a thousand ships with more firepower than I've ever seen a Star Destroyer carrying."

"I don't know how Alderaan was destroyed," said the Doctor. "I just know that it was destroyed by the Empire. We have to find another way to our objective."

"Hold that thought," said Han, listening to a rapid beeping on his console. "There's another ship coming in."

"Maybe they know what happened," said Luke hopefully.

"I wouldn't be so sure of contacting them," said Jennara. "I can sense that it's an Imperial TIE Fighter."

"I agree," said Obi-Wan just before the _Millenium Falcon_ was passed by the TIE Fighter in question.

"It must have followed us!" cried Luke.

"It can't have," said the Doctor. "It's only a short-range fighter."

"There aren't any bases in this sector," said Han, utilizing his knowledge of the Empire. "Where did he come from?"

"It's leaving in quite a hurry," observed Obi-Wan.

"If they identify us, we're in deep trouble," said Luke.

"He won't get a chance," said Han determinedly. "Chewie, jam the transmissions."

"Let him go, Han," urged the Doctor. "There's been enough death here already. Besides, it's out of range."

"Not for long!" barked Han.

"It doesn't make any sense," said Jennara. "A TIE couldn't make its way this deep into space on its own."

She was right, of course. The Doctor knew that TIEs didn't wander off from their bases. They wouldn't have had enough fuel to get back. So, why was it here, so far away from any known Imperial base? Maybe it was heading back to an unknown Imperial base.

"Maybe it got lost," suggested Luke. "Maybe he was part of a convoy or something."

"No, that can't be it," said the Doctor. "Imperial convoys don't normally go through the Alderaan sector."

"Whatever he is, he ain't gonna be around long enough to tell anyone about us," said Han.

The Doctor grimaced at Han's determination to kill this lone fighter. So many people had died here. Why kill even more people?

"Look, it's heading for that small moon over there!" called Luke.

The Doctor looked at the small moon, and his hearts sank. He sensed evil inside that moon, and he knew that this was what the Empire had used to destroy Alderaan and kill millions of people in an instant. His righteous anger boiled up in him again as he looked out not at a small moon, but at a giant space station.

"That's no moon," said the Doctor angrily. "It's a space station."

"It's too big to be a space station," said Han incredulously.

But as they all stared at it, they realized that the Doctor was right. It was a space station just as he had said, and it was huge.

"Turn the ship around," ordered Obi-Wan.

"Yeah, I think you're right," said Han. "Full reverse!"

The Doctor saw Chewbacca put the ship into full reverse, but the _Millenium Falcon_ was still being pulled towards the moon-sized space station.

"Full reverse!" barked Han. "Lock in the auxiliary power!"

"It's no use," said the Doctor. "We're caught in their tractor beam."

"Can you do something about it?" asked Luke desperately.

"I'm at full power, kid. There's nothing more that I can do," said Han. "I'm going to have to shut down, but they're not gonna take me without a fight."

"Stay calm, Captain Solo," said Jennara, displaying wisdom beyond her years. "There are alternatives to fighting."

"Sage advice, Jennara," said the Doctor with a small smile that made Jennara blush just slightly.

As the _Millenium Falcon_ neared the gigantic space station, C-3PO and R2-D2 came bounding into the cockpit, crowding it even more.

"Oh, what do we do?!" cried 3PO. "We're all going to die! R2 and I will be turned into scrap metal! Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"

"Somebody shut him up!" barked Han. "I need to think of a plan!"

"What are you thinking?" asked Obi-Wan.

"We could make it look like we jettisoned before landing," Jennara put in.

"Yeah, but how would we actually make that happen?" asked Han. "Oh, I've got it!" he added a moment later. "Chewie, make it look like we abandoned ship right after takeoff! The rest of you, come with me!"

The Doctor followed directly behind Han out of the cockpit. The smuggler led them to a hallway adjacent to the main entrance hatch and started lifting up the floor panels, revealing a small space underneath. He must have used these for smuggling operations, the Doctor figured.

"Get in," he called. "Quick."

The Doctor obeyed Han's directive, and he cramped himself into the space. He hand to bend down considerably, as he was one of the tallest beings on the ship. He thought of Chewbacca and did not envy the Wookiee for how much he would have to squish himself in order to fit in this tiny space.

Jennara squeezed next to him, and she sighed.

"Bit intimate, don't you think?" she asked.

"I don't think the designers of this little cabin had people in mind when it was built," said the Doctor. "Still, could be a bit bigger."

Chewbacca and the droids were the last ones in the small compartment. Chewbacca quickly closed the hatch just in time for footsteps to be heard walking imperiously up the _Falcon_'s boarding ramp. The Doctor knew it to be a preliminary search party. He also knew that an empty ship randomly docking on an Imperial battle station would arouse suspicion, so the Empire would probably send a scanning crew on board. The Doctor wasn't too worried. He hadn't even noticed the compartment when he first boarded. He seriously doubted that Imperial stormtroopers would notice it, even if they were looking carefully.

He felt Luke tense up at the sound of footsteps wandering about the hallway. With his mind, the Doctor assuaged the fears of the young man, coating him in a sort of telekinetic shoulder-rub with the Force. Luke calmed down almost immediately.

The Doctor heard the footsteps leave the _Millenium Falcon_, and he felt a very evil presence enter the hangar. He reached out and sensed the evil presence, but he heard nothing except a wheezy, mechanical breathing. He had only heard it in his mind a few times twenty years ago, at the start of the Clone War, and always when looking at Anakin Skywalker. He had no doubt that the evil presence he was currently feeling was Darth Vader. He felt Obi-Wan's determination and Jennara's fear as they sensed Vader as well. He also felt curiosity, and it was coming from Vader himself. He had sensed the Jedi, it seemed, and it piqued his interest.

Moments later, a second set of footsteps went through the _Millenium Falcon_. The scanning crew, no doubt. Everyone inside the compartment remained perfectly still as two pairs of feet rummaged through the ship. The two searchers were inside for a good minute before meeting back up at the entrance hatch.

"There's no one here," said one of them before the two troopers left the _Millenium Falcon_. He was muffled, but the Doctor could still make out what he had said.

"We're clear," said the Doctor.

"Right," said Han. "Time to get out of here."

With that, Han opened up the secret hatch and slid it across the hallway floor. The Doctor, Luke, Obi-Wan, Jennara, Han, Chewie, and the droids clambered out one after the other from the compartment.

"It's a good thing you had this compartment," said Luke.

"Yeah, I use them for smuggling," said Han, confirming what the Doctor had originally thought. "Never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them."

"What's the next move?" asked Jennara.

"Well, even if I could take off, I wouldn't get far," said Han. "Not with that tractor beam intact."

"Leave that to me," said Obi-Wan immediately. The Doctor looked at his old friend curiously. What had caused that immediate response? Old Ben Kenobi had something planned; the Doctor knew this. Obi-Wan was known for deception. The Doctor could guess that Obi-Wan wasn't going to tell anyone what he was thinking, so the Gallifreyan would just have to figure it out himself.

"Damn fool, I knew you were going to say that," said Han.

"Who's more foolish, Captain Solo?" asked Obi-Wan rhetorically. "The fool or the fool who follows him?"

"Very true," said the Doctor, who was still curious about Obi-Wan's intentions. Jennara looked to the Doctor curiously as well. She must have known that her Master was trying to get into Obi-Wan's head, trying to figure out what he was doing.

"What are you thinking?" Jennara whispered to the Doctor.

"Obi-Wan's up to something," whispered the Doctor.

"Good or bad?"

"I don't know, and that worries me."

"If you find anything, report it immediately," came the voice of an Imperial troop.

Instantly, Han's blaster was drawn, and Jennara and Obi-Wan were reaching for their lightsabers. There were more Imperials on their way up to the _Millenium Falcon_. They would see the crew and try to kill them, most likely. Not if the Doctor could help it. As soon as they boarded, the Doctor threw them against the wall of the ship with the Force, knocking them out instantly.

"What in blazes are you doing, Doctor?" hissed Luke. "They'll catch us!"

"No, watch this," whispered the Doctor, before he called to the troop standing outside, "Hey! Would you mind giving us a hand with this?"

When two stormtroopers standing outside the ship entered into the hallway, the Doctor shoved them into the wall as well, knocking them out instantly. He had set in motion a fifteen-second-old plan to get them situated in the station and find out where the tractor beam generator was.

"Okay, Luke, Han, take their armor," ordered the Doctor. "We're going to sneak in."

"How?" asked Han as he stripped the one stormtrooper. "Won't they see us?"

"Not if I cloak us, they won't," said the Doctor, already cloaking everyone in the Force. "Come on."

"They're going to see us, Doctor," said Luke.

"No, they're not," said the Doctor. "Now, come on!"

When the Doctor stepped out of the _Millenium Falcon_ and gazed at his surroundings, he was proven right. Nobody even saw him. He motioned for the others to come out, but stay quiet, as even a single sound could trip the camouflage and give them away to the Imperials.

They moved silently through the hangar bay in which they had been forced to land. The Doctor noticed a sort of command center and found the staircase and hallway leading to it. Certainly, R2 could plug into a console there and tell them where the generator for the tractor beam was, the Doctor figured as he led his little group of companions to the command center.

He uncloaked himself and the rest of them and knocked on the door. An Imperial officer opened it up, and he gaped at the sight of Chewbacca rushing towards him. The Wookiee tapped into his savage side and beat the officer's skull in while Han shot a second Imperial officer right in the chest. The Doctor didn't particularly care for their use of violence, but it was a necessary evil so that the station wasn't immediately alerted to their presence.

"You know," said Luke irritably as he closed the door to the command center, "between his howling and your blasting, it's a wonder this entire station doesn't know we're here."

"Bring it on!" challenged Han. "I'd prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around!"

R2 interrupted Han's rant to inform the group of something.

"He says he's found the main computer outlet, sir," translated 3PO.

"Good," said the Doctor. "Plug in, buddy. See if you can't interpret the Imperial network."

R2 did as the Doctor instructed, and several images were shown on the computer display. C-3PO translated as necessary.

"He's found the main controls to the tractor beam holding the ship here," said 3PO. "He's trying to make the precise location appear on the monitor here, sir."

The images floated around on the display before resting on one image that had a half-circle blinking in the center. That must be where the tractor beam is, thought the Doctor.

"The tractor beam generator is coupled with the main reactor in seven different locations," reported 3PO. "A loss of power at just one of the terminals will result in a failure in the system entirely, allowing the ship to leave this dreadful place."

The Doctor considered the plan formulating in his head. He could deactivate one of the terminals, but it would probably be safe to deactivate two or three, just in case the Imperials noticed the loss of power and reactivated one of the terminals before they could escape. It would be risky, but he could do it if he kept totally out of sight.

Unfortunately for the Doctor, Obi-Wan Kenobi had a different idea.

* * *

><p><strong>It honestly feels like it's been forever since I last posted, but it's definitely been only a week! This past week had just gone on for the longest time! It's just ridiculous! Anyway, new chapter! Yay! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I certainly enjoyed giving the Doctor the "That's no moon" line, although he was distinctly angrier when he said it than when Obi-Wan said it in the movie. I thought it would make more sense for the Doctor to be angry when he saw the Death Star.<strong>

**The ending of this chapter kind of makes it seem like the Doctor won't be doing the tractor beam thing, but he totally will. No questioning that. That is a thing that will happen.**

**Hopefully this next week won't be nearly as long as this last one was. That was just awful. All in all, I'm glad that it's over and that I can share more of my story with you wonderful people! You guys rock! I don't know if I say that enough, but it's the truth!**

**Next Friday: The Doctor undergoes his mission and prepares to meet his destiny.**


	7. To Save a Life

Chapter Six: To Save a Life

"I don't think you boys can help here," said Obi-Wan as he made to leave the command center.

It was at that moment, when Obi-Wan Kenobi said those exact words, that the Doctor realized what the old Jedi Master was planning.

He was going to sacrifice himself.

Sure, he would deactivate the tractor beams, but he had no reason to keep his plans nebulous anymore. The Doctor searched Obi-Wan's thoughts and saw what he was planning. He knew that Darth Vader had sensed the Jedi aboard the _Millenium Falcon_, and the Sith Lord would be after one man in particular: Obi-Wan Kenobi. Vader wanted revenge for his defeat on Mustafar, and Obi-Wan would grant it to him. But he would also use it to teach Luke a lesson in the Force. He would use the immortality training given to him by Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit. He was going to his death, and he knew it. But he had forgotten one very important thing: the Doctor. The Doctor knew a better way to teach that lesson without having to send Obi-Wan to his death.

Of course, it meant giving up a life to save a life.

To the Doctor, it was an unreasonable trade. He hated regeneration, and he didn't want to lose this body and have some other man take his place. But he also knew that he wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing that Obi-Wan lost his one and only life when the Doctor had three more to spare.

It was his only choice.

"Wait," he called.

Obi-Wan stared back at him, wondering what the Doctor was thinking.

"I'll go," said the Doctor.

_Doctor, what are you doing?_ asked Obi-Wan through his thoughts.

_Saving your life,_ thought the Doctor. _I know what you're planning, and there's a better way. I'm not letting you throw your life away like this. Everything has its time, and everything dies, but today, that won't be you._

_Doctor, please,_ thought Obi-Wan desperately. _You don't have to sacrifice yourself on my account._

_I've got a few lives to spare,_ thought the Doctor.

_Doctor, does Jennara know?_

_No._

_Then you don't have to give it up._

_But I do, Obi-Wan. I couldn't live with myself if another Jedi died when I could have saved him by sacrificing myself. It's time, Master Kenobi. It's time for the universe to say Vale Decem._

_Thank you, Doctor._

_Don't mention it._

The Doctor nodded to his friend, his mind resolute on his path. His journey was coming to an end, and though he might not have liked it to come now, he knew that it had to come eventually.

"I'll come with you," said Jennara, who had appeared at his side.

"Me, too," said Luke, who was hanging by the doorway.

"You can't, either of you," said the Doctor. "Where I'm going, only I can go."

"But-" began Jennara.

"No, Jennara," said the Doctor. "It's for your own safety that you stay here and protect our friends. Help Luke and the others deliver the droids to the Rebel Alliance, or other star systems will fall as Alderaan fell."

"Doctor, where are you going?" asked Luke.

"To get my reward," said the Doctor cryptically, although he had no idea where that had come from. "Remember, Luke: the Force will be with you, always."

"Thanks, Doctor," said Luke.

"Goodbye, Doctor," said Jennara, hugging the tenth body of her Master tightly for-unknown to her-the last time.

"Goodbye, Jennara," said the Doctor, surprised at his use of the otherwise-dreaded phrase. Spontaneously, the Doctor kissed his Padawan on her forehead and left her and the others.

As the command center door shut, the Doctor realized that this would be Jennara's Trial of the Spirit. If she passed this, she would be promoted to Knighthood at last, whatever it was worth.

_All the more reason for me to do this_, he thought to himself.

He moved through the corridors swiftly, avoiding any Imperial guards on watch, staying hidden at all times. He had cloaked himself once more in the Force so that nobody, except perhaps Darth Vader, could sense what he was doing. He knew that Vader could sense someone moving around who shouldn't be, but the Doctor was careful not to alert the Sith Lord who it was.

The Doctor decided to deactivate three terminals. Three sounded like a safe enough number. The Imperials certainly wouldn't notice and rectify the Doctor's work in time. He was safe with three.

Along the way to the first tractor beam generator, he could sense Darth Vader searching for someone. The Sith thought he could find Obi-Wan Kenobi, but the Doctor knew that Obi-Wan was being careful to hide himself and not get caught by his nemesis. The Jedi Master was clearly grateful to the Doctor and didn't want to have his sacrifice be in vain.

The Doctor moved through the corridor to the first tractor beam generator. He entered a cavernous room occupied by several bridges. The one he was standing on currently was adjoined by a massive, semi-circular contraption. The Doctor remembered the shape on the display that R2 had shown and figured that this must have been one of the seven tractor beam generators.

For its massive size, it was a simple machine. All he had to do was carefully flip a few levers, and the first of three generators was deactivated for now. The Doctor grinned at the ease with which he deactivated the generator.

_If they're all like this, then this'll be easy work indeed,_ thought the Doctor.

The Doctor moved along the adjoining bridge again, ready to move to the next generator, when he was stopped by another hallucination. This time, it was Ki-Adi-Mundi.

"You think that this will redeem you, Doctor?" asked the Cerean apparition. "Saving one life when billions died because of your inability to save them as well?"

"It's a start," whispered the Doctor as he walked along, careful not to diminish his Force cloak.

"It's a pathetic start," said Ki-Adi-Mundi, who had appeared before him in a different spot than before. "You have blood on your hands, Doctor. You can't possibly wash all of it off."

"I can do my best," said the Doctor. "It may take me one, two, maybe all three of my remaining lives, but I will do it. I will absolve myself of all this guilt."

"And how do you plan on doing it?" asked Ki-Adi-Mundi snidely.

"One life at a time," said the Doctor simply.

"Excellent work so far," said Ki-Adi-Mundi sarcastically. "Real bang-up job you're doing."

"Get out of my head," said the Doctor angrily. Ki-Adi-Mundi disappeared and didn't reappear before the Doctor as he continued his journey through the massive space station.

The Doctor came across a squad of Imperial stormtroopers walking past him. He could have easily moved past them, and they wouldn't have noticed, but the Doctor decided to play it safe and stand still as they walked past. As he had suspected, they noticed nothing, and the Doctor was able to continue onwards without further delay.

_Onwards and upwards_, thought the Doctor to himself as he ascended a staircase that would most likely lead him on a path to the next generator.

Along the way, he thought about his guilt. He felt guilt about a lot of things over the course of his long life, but this particular incarnation felt guilt over the number of lives he was unable to save.

First, there was most of the Jedi Order. Forty years ago, the Doctor would have said that everything was fine with the Jedi Order. Twenty years ago, the Doctor would have said that the Jedi Order had lost quite a few members, but it had the potential to recuperate with time and patience. Now, the Doctor realized that he had been blinded to the truth of the matter. The Sith had been hiding in plain sight throughout the entirety of the Clone War, and Darth Sidious in particular had used the Jedi Order as his pawns to further his plans for galactic domination. He had disposed of them when he had achieved his goal, and it was the Doctor who had failed to see him for what he really was: a conniving menace that needed to be eradicated as soon as possible. His failure cost most of the Jedi Order their lives, and one of their own had turned against them. Sure, a good hundred Jedi survived, but over the last nineteen years, Darth Sidious had sent his lapdog Vader to hunt them down, just as he said he would. The Doctor had felt every one of their deaths, and his hearts ached for them all.

Secondly and more recently, there was the destruction of Alderaan. The Empire had used this station to destroy an entire planet, killing everyone on the planet, and the Doctor was powerless to stop them. It wasn't entirely his fault that they died, but if he had just seen what the Empire had been planning sooner, he could have stopped it. A lot of people, including his old friend Bail Organa, would still be alive.

Jennara, being the caring and faithful Padawan she was, would have told him not to worry about it, but he still did. The fact that all this death had occurred right under his nose got to him, and it made him feel all this guilt for their deaths. He felt the need to save lives in order to absolve himself of the guilt and ease his conscience. Saving Obi-Wan Kenobi was as good a start as any in the Doctor's opinion.

The Doctor followed another corridor to a familiar cavernous room, although he knew that it was different. He also knew he had reached the second generator. As with the first generator, it was quite a simple machine to deactivate. He carefully sidestepped around the small space to walk along the generator. His hand reached for the first switch, and he managed to flip it just before sensing danger.

Unfortunately, the Doctor sensed Imperial stormtroopers. There were four of them, and they entered the room quickly. They might have heard about his antics, but they might not have. The Doctor had no way of knowing. As bad as this was, however, the Doctor did manage to evade their sight so that they definitely would not have seen him as they entered.

"You two stay here and guard the generator," said one of the stormtroopers.

The Doctor sensed two of the stormtroopers leave the room, but he also sensed two of them stay, as per their orders. He had to sneak past them somehow, he realized as he carefully deactivated the rest of the panels and switches on the generator. He had to move very carefully, otherwise the two stormtroopers would hear his movements and discover him.

"Do you know what's going on?" asked one of the stormtroopers.

"I don't know," said the other. "Maybe it's a drill."

The Doctor carefully stepped around the generator to get a good look at the stormtroopers. They were facing each other and making small talk.

"You see that new VT-16?" asked one of them.

"Yeah, some of the guys were telling me about it," said the other.

It was clear to the Doctor that these troopers would never notice the deactivation of the generator, at least not until the _Millenium Falcon _made its escape.

The Doctor used the Force to trick the stormtroopers into hearing a small noise.

"What was that?" said one as they both turned their backs. The Doctor used their distraction to make his escape into the next hallway.

_Two down, one to go,_ he thought.

As he made his way to his third and final generator, he realized that he had not yet encountered Darth Vader. In fact, he had not even felt the Sith Lord's presence at all since the beginning of his mission. He thought it was odd, but nothing more as he heard the voice of an Imperial officer calling all stormtroopers on Level 28 to deal with the intruders. At first, the Doctor thought that he had been discovered, but he remembered that the officer had used the plural "intruders." He must have been referring to Luke, Jennara, Obi-Wan, Han, and Chewbacca. Apparently, they were stirring up some trouble of their own. He could sense that 3PO and R2 were safe, away from the action, but he could also sense a sixth person. The Force was strong with this one, and the Doctor concluded that it had to have been Princess Leia. She must have been captured at some point and brought to this station. Luke and the others had apparently mounted some sort of rescue operation, and they were presumably trying to get back to the _Millenium Falcon_.

The Doctor smiled to himself as he reached the third generator and did his routine yet again. Normally, he would have been a little angry that they had wandered off, but they had had a good reason to do so, so he couldn't really complain too much.

The Doctor's mission was complete. He had deactivated enough of the tractor beam generators so the ship could make its escape and be safe in doing so. All he had to do was get back to the ship. For a moment, he thought that maybe he wouldn't have to sacrifice himself and regenerate. He hadn't encountered Darth Vader at all during his mission. Maybe the Sith Lord had not been able to track him down.

"He'll find you," came the voice of a long-dead man from the Doctor's past.

The Doctor turned and saw Saesee Tiin standing before him. The Iktotchi appeared a bit hazy, so the Doctor quickly realized that it was another hallucination.

"What do you mean?" asked the Doctor.

"Darth Vader will find you, Doctor," said Saesee. "And he will kill you."

"Maybe that's how it's supposed to be," said the Doctor, realizing that Saesee was right about Darth Vader finding him. Already, he could sense Darth Vader waiting to strike at him.

"Come now, Doctor," patronized Saesee. "We both know you don't feel that way."

As much as he hated to admit it, Saesee was right. The Doctor was terrified of regeneration. He hated it. He didn't want to have to sacrifice himself. What if his new face was unfit to be the Doctor? What if he was ineffective in his eleventh form? Would his eleventh self live up to the name of the Doctor as his other incarnations had done? There were too many variables for the Doctor to process.

"You're right," admitted the Doctor. "I don't want to go."

"You could have been so much more, Doctor," said Saesee. "So much more."

"Yes," said the Doctor. "I could have."

"You don't have to regenerate, Doctor," goaded Saesee. "There's another way out."

The Doctor knew that Saesee was trying to get him to turn over to the Dark Side and betray his friends in order to save himself. He could do that, but that would mean becoming like the War Doctor, an alternate version of himself he had encountered during the Clone War. The Doctor was repulsed by the War Doctor. The very thought of him ever existing made the Doctor sick to his stomach. He knew that regenerating into his eleventh self was the only option the true Doctor would have ever gone with.

"No," said the Doctor. "I'll never turn to the Dark Side. This is my choice, and I choose to sacrifice myself."

"What would be gained, Doctor?" asked Saesee. "You teach a lesson to some punk kid who knows next to nothing of the Force and a scared little girl who is terrified by the mention of anything that happened on the night the Temple was attacked?"

"That punk kid and that scared little girl are my friends, and they have names," growled the Doctor. "Luke and Jennara. And I won't just be teaching them a lesson. I'll also be saving the life of another of my dear friends."

"They are nothing!" shouted Saesee.

"Leave me be, apparition!" shouted the Doctor as he pushed Saesee's hallucination away with the Force. Saesee disappeared, and the Doctor made his way back to the _Millenium Falcon_.

The Doctor reached the _Falcon_ right on schedule. He could sense that Jennara, Obi-Wan, Luke, Han, Chewbacca, and Leia were still running around the station trying to get to the ship. The Doctor could probably hold Vader off long enough for them to reach the _Falcon_ and notice their imminent battle.

The Doctor jogged down the hallway and stopped just short of the door to the hangar bay in which the _Falcon_ was docked. He heard the wheezy breathing and Sith lightsaber humming that told him that his time had come. This would be his last duel in this body, he realized. In that case, he would make it a good one.

The Doctor turned around to face a man in a terrifying black suit of armor: Darth Vader.

* * *

><p><strong>I'll be honest. I spent a very long time coming up with the title for this chapter. I don't know why, but I couldn't think of any titles that encompass the whole of the chapter and what it's about. Eventually, of course, I settled on this title, To Save a Life, partially inspired by the album "How To Save a Life," by the band The Fray, which I had listened to when I was younger.<strong>

**Anyway, so, if you haven't guessed it already, the Tenth Doctor will be forced to regenerate at the hands of Darth Vader. He will fight Vader as Obi-Wan did in the film, and he will allow himself to be struck down in front of the whole group, including Jennara, who, as mentioned briefly in the beginning of the chapter, has no idea about the Doctor's ability to regenerate, which may or may not (but probably will) create tension between the two characters.**

**So, yay.**

**That's pretty much it on my end. What did you think of this chapter? Leave your thoughts in a review! They are greatly appreciated! I do read them, too, I promise. It's not like I just glance them over. I do actually read them thoroughly! I love hearing your thoughts about the story and the direction it's going, so sound off! I want to hear what you think!**

**Next Friday: The Tenth Doctor faces his destiny and begins the teaching of his final lesson.**

**And that's about it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	8. The Doctor vs the Chosen

Chapter Seven: The Doctor vs. the Chosen

Darth Vader was an intimidating foe, even when standing there, holding his lightsaber. The Doctor had never seen Vader's armor in person, and he gained an understanding of why people had been so afraid of him. His armor was adorned with a long, flowing, black cape that reached down to the floor. His chest plate looked to be made of some unbreakable metal, and it fell just above what looked like a life-support system attached to his mid-abdomen. His mask was reminiscent of a deformed skull, and the helmet reminded the Doctor of a hood. Even his lightsaber struck a bit of fear in the Doctor. The black and silver hilt with the red blade was reminiscent of the lightsaber that his son now carried with him, like a twisted, evil version of the sword that fought for good once more. All in all, Vader was a fearsome adversary.

The Sith Lord stepped before the Doctor, and the Doctor could sense Vader's surprise.

"You are not the one I was expecting," said Vader, a deep, rich baritone that sharply contrasted with the low tenor of Anakin Skywalker's voice.

"Who were you planning to kill today, Vader?" asked the Doctor as he activated his lightsabers.

"I was looking for my old Master," answered Vader. "I thought that he would be the one to sneak around where he shouldn't be."

"You know me, Vader," said the Doctor. "I always snoop around uninvited."

"Indeed," said Vader. "I was hoping to lay eyes on the corpse of Obi-Wan Kenobi this day, but your corpse will do for now."

Vader raised his lightsaber and struck at the Doctor full-force.

The armor Vader wore appeared to hamper his movements, which was the first thing the Doctor noticed in his duel against the Sith Lord. Even still, his duelling skills had been refined to a science. Vader seemed to use a unique style of combat that had its roots in Djem So. The Doctor had little difficulty countering with his own variant of Djem So. The Doctor's Djem So-Ataru mix was about equal with Vader's Djem So variant. The Grand Master and the Sith Lord matched each other blow for blow, and the only question the Doctor had was how long it would take Jennara and the others to reach the _Falcon_.

"You're good, Doctor, but I am the Master," said Vader.

"Hardly, Vader," countered the Doctor. "You're only a Master of evil."

Vader struck at the Doctor even harder in his anger. But was it anger? The Doctor was unsure. There was something else lying just beneath the surface of Vader's consciousness. What was it? It wasn't anger. Anger would have looked a bit different. This was something else entirely, but what?

The Doctor had little time to think about what it was. Vader was starting to gain a bit of ground. The Doctor flipped back against the far wall, striking at Vader with both of his lightsabers as he jumped around the Sith Lord. The green blade of his main saber caught Vader's shoulder, but it did absolutely nothing to the shoulder plate, proving the Gallifreyan's theory that the armor there was resistant to lightsabers. It didn't matter to the Doctor. He wasn't here to kill Vader. He sensed that Vader's destiny took him elsewhere.

The Doctor swung his shoto around to catch Vader's blade, forcing him back with a stab from his main. Vader stepped back and held his ground, probably glaring at the Doctor under his mask. The Gallifreyan knew that his adversary was calculating how best to beat the Doctor. The Doctor risked a glance over to the _Falcon_, and he saw that the stormtroopers guarding the ship had noticed the duel between the Doctor and Vader and wanted to watch. They watched in silent awe as two masters of combat duelled each other.

It occurred to the Doctor that had Vader not been confined by his suit, he probably would have supplanted Darth Sidious as Emperor long ago. The Doctor would also be hard-pressed to hold his own against Darth Vader if he had Anakin Skywalker's full range of motion. The Doctor had never sparred with Anakin, but he knew that Anakin had been extremely skilled in combat. As Vader, he was skilled, but his potential was literally burned out of him.

Vader's wheezy breathing gained rapidity, and the Doctor found that he was breathing a bit heavily himself as they continued their intense duel. Their skills had worn each other out.

"Getting tired yet, Vader?" taunted the Doctor.

"Your taunts betray the fear you feel when facing me, Doctor," said Vader. "You know that I will destroy you."

"Not likely," said the Doctor, though not as confidently as before.

The Doctor crossed blades yet again with Vader, and he wondered where Jennara and the others could have gone off to. He could sense that they were still running around this station, but they hadn't yet found a way to get to the ship. Vader had been partially correct. The Doctor was afraid, but not because he was facing Vader. He feared for the lives of Jennara, Luke, Obi-Wan, Chewbacca, Leia, and even Han. He even feared for the droids, although he could sense that they were just across the hangar looking at the _Millenium Falcon_.

He was not afraid of Darth Vader. He was intrigued by Darth Vader. There was something lurking just below the surface, something that was distinctly not Sith. He noticed it in his strikes. Some of them were hesitated, if only for a brief millisecond. He didn't want to hurt the Doctor, but, paradoxically, he did want to hurt him. Why? What was causing that hesitation? The Doctor had spent much of the fight trying to figure it out, and he wasn't about to give up trying to find it now.

He risked another glance at the _Falcon _to see if Jennara and the others had made it through, and he saw her.

Not Jennara. Stass. He saw Stass staring at him with angry, purple eyes. He realized he was having another hallucination.

_Not again!_ he shouted in his head.

Stass distracted the Doctor from his main focus, and in his distraction, Vader saw an opportunity. Again, there was a brief moment of hesitation, and the Doctor was able to save his left hand from being completely severed by Vader's Sith blade. Unfortunately, he was not able to save his shoto from being sliced in two. The short blue blade was extinguished, its hilt destroyed, never to ignite again. The Doctor lamented the loss of his beautiful shoto for a brief millisecond before discarding its remains on the station floor. And when he looked back into the hangar, Stass was gone.

"Yeah!" cried a few of the stormtroopers.

"Get him, Lord Vader!" cheered another.

The Doctor gripped his remaining lightsaber with both hands, determined now to hold off Vader at all costs until his plan went into full swing.

"That's alright," said the Doctor jovially. "I'm not completely defenseless. Just can't use Jar'Kai anymore."

"Your attempts to boost your self-confidence are pitiful at best," said Vader.

"Now, that's not nice," taunted the Doctor. "Didn't they teach you manners on the Dark Side?"

"This banter is pointless," said Vader as he slashed at the Doctor.

"Oh, I don't think so," said the Doctor, trying to use his words to distract Vader.

Vader struck at the Doctor once more, landing a hard blow that caused the Doctor to step back a few paces. The Doctor heard the cries of the stormtroopers as they cheered Vader on.

"They seem to like you," said the Doctor.

Vader didn't respond with words, only by stabbing at the Doctor.

"By the way, what is this station called?" asked the Doctor. "I never did get to find out its name. Does it even have one?"

"It's called the Death Star," responded Vader simply.

The Doctor thought about the name. It was certainly fitting a behemoth space station capable of obliterating planets with one savage stroke.

"Lovely name," said the Doctor as their duel continued.

Vader's strokes came faster and stronger. The Doctor's arms threatened to give out as they had on Hypori when he fought the late General Grievous for the first time. He decided it was best to push at Vader not with his remaining lightsaber, but with words.

"You can't win against me, Vader," said the Doctor. "If you strike me down, I will come back, more powerful than ever."

The Doctor was unsure of the validity of what he had just said due to the slightly random nature of regeneration, but Vader didn't need to know that. He covered up his insecurity with a false sense of determination and confidence, hoping to the Force that Vader bought it.

Apparently, he did, for Vader engaged the Doctor harder than ever, determined to kill the Doctor for good.

And it was then that the Tenth Doctor's final lesson began.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor heard the small whisper coming from Jennara's lips. He stopped his duel with Vader for a brief moment, making the Sith Lord think that he was calculating his next move. He looked over, right at Jennara, and saw her staring at him, fear in her eyes. She had no idea what he was about to do, and it scared her. He smiled at her, a small smile that usually came with some sort of reassurance that everything was going to be okay, even when the person knows it could potentially be the biggest lie he or she had ever told.

_It'll be alright,_ the Doctor thought to her. _Trust me._

Jennara didn't move, didn't speak, didn't even breathe. Everyone else was watching, even the stormtroopers, with bated breath, as the Doctor's duel with Darth Vader came to an end.

The Doctor held his arms out to Vader, accepting his fate. He deactivated his lightsaber and looked Vader square in the eye, saying nothing.

For a moment, a brief second, Darth Vader hesitated. Perhaps it was because he was unsure of what the Doctor was doing, but the Doctor suspected different. In that moment, he saw what lay beneath the surface with regards to Vader. It was regret. Self-loathing. He subconsciously hated himself for what he had done in service to the Empire. Perhaps letting the Doctor see his torment was intentional on Vader's part, but it got the Doctor thinking in that moment. Maybe Padme Amidala had been right all along. Maybe there was good in him after all.

Then the moment was over. The red blade of Vader's lightsaber swung in a vicious arc and tore through the Doctor's chest.

* * *

><p><strong>*cowers behind computer* I can explain.<strong>

**So, I did not necessarily forget to update last night. See, I was in New Jersey last night to audition for a college theater program, which was done this morning. Unfortunately, I could not access the Internet where I was staying, so that's why I didn't post last night. I simply couldn't. But now, I can, and here it is.**

**To counteract this next week (I will be in Boston auditioning for another college theater program), I will be posting the next chapter on Thursday instead of Friday, which really works for everyone, I think.**

**Not really a whole lot to say about this fight scene chapter. The Doctor loses his shoto in this chapter, which symbolizes the regeneration that will come about very soon (psst, next chapter). I think this chapter is more about the characterization of Vader than anything else. I suppose it goes with the Echani saying that you can learn a lot about someone through battle. As we see here, the Doctor is, of course, very calculating in battle, but Vader is angry, aggressive, and it comes from his anger at himself. This subconscious hatred of what he has become will, of course, come into play in later volumes, coming to a head in Return of the Jedi.**

**Still excited for Doctor Who Series 9. That is still a thing that is happening.**

**Next Thursday: Vale Decem**

**And I'll leave you with that. That about does it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	9. Vale Decem

Chapter Eight: Vale Decem

The Doctor's chest burned like fire. He shrank back from the pain, still alive, but only just.

"DOCTOR! NO!" cried Jennara.

The Doctor saw the stormtroopers watching the battle turn their blasters on Jennara and the others. He heard the activation of two lightsabers and saw the blue and yellow arcs of light indicative of Jennara and Obi-Wan's lightsabers. They were defending themselves from the blasts, but they weren't bounding up the boarding ramp of the _Millenium Falcon_. They were staying put. Perhaps they thought that the Doctor could make it to the ship. He could, but by the time he crossed the hangar bay, he would be a completely different man.

The Doctor heard the wheezy breathing of Darth Vader coming closer to him. He knew that the Sith Lord would try to finish him off, so he used what little Force energy he had to push Vader away. He slowly stood and entered the hangar bay just as a blast from Luke hit the blast door controls, shutting Vader off for good.

When the door closed, time for the Doctor stopped. Everything froze. The Doctor noticed the determination of Luke, Chewbacca, Han, and Obi-Wan to defend themselves and their friends. He saw the pleading expression of Leia, begging them to get on board. Most of all, he saw the sadness on the face of Jennara Oswin. That sadness broke his hearts the most.

_Doctor_, the Doctor heard the gruff voice of Qui-Gon Jinn calling to him. _You brave, brave man._

_Thanks, Qui-Gon,_ thought the Doctor.

_The Force would like to reward you for your actions._

_With what?_

_Look and see._

The Doctor saw them. Ki-Adi-Mundi, Saesee Tiin, Plo Koon, and Stass Allie, his long-dead friends. They were smiling at him, not tormenting him over his failure to protect them.

_What's this?_ asked the Doctor.

_The Force wanted to show you that your guilt is misplaced, Doctor. Their deaths were caused by circumstances beyond your control._

_That was the cause of my guilt._

_You mourn their loss, and you feel responsible. You are right to mourn them, but you do not need to accept their deaths as your doing. The hand of the Sith covers all in this day and age, and that is what the Force is trying to defeat. Your sacrifice will help to that end immensely, and the Force wanted to reward you by letting you see your fallen friends one last time._

The Doctor looked to Ki-Adi-Mundi, Saesee, Plo, and Stass. They were all still smiling at him jubilantly.

_How are they here? _he asked.

_I was able to reach back in time and pluck their consciousnesses from the moment of their death. This is them right after they died._

_Why are they so happy?_

_Because the Force told them its plan and how their greatest friend, the Doctor, was a central player in that plan. They understand the Force's plan for them, and they accept it._

_And I accept their deaths now. I understand what the Force had in store for them, and I shall look forward to seeing them again after I am gone._

_Good. And now, Doctor, it is time._

The Doctor felt the slash across his chest heal. The regeneration process had started.

_We will sing to you, Doctor_, said Qui-Gon. _The Force will sing you to your sleep._

When time slowly regained momentum for the Doctor, he heard the voices of a thousand souls singing to him somberly.

_Vale Decem_

He slowly walked across the hangar bay towards the _Millenium Falcon_, observing everything around him. He was like a child walking through a little shop with all of his favorite things.

_Ad aeternam_

He quickly realized that the Force was singing to him in Gallifreyan. His hearts were warmed, and his ears welcomed the sweet music of his language.

_Di meliora_

The stormtroopers had been defeated. Their bodies lay strewn about, and their faces would see no more as their voices joined the chorus singing to him.

_Ad aeternam_

The Doctor was going to eternity, just as the song said he would, but his next body would pick up where this one left off.

_Vale Decem_

The Doctor flitted through his tenth life and remembered that Serenity the Force Priestess had spoken those words to him. She had been referring to this moment in time, the Doctor realized.

_Di meliora_

He looked at the ghosts of his past. They were all still smiling at him, proud of him for his sacrifice.

_Beati_

He walked over to them, ignoring Jennara's pleas for him to come on board the ship. He couldn't just leave his old friends without saying goodbye.

_Pacifici_

He stepped before them, one by one, starting with Ki-Adi-Mundi.

_Vale Decem_

Ki-Adi-Mundi was about to bow, but the Doctor stopped him. Instead, it was the Doctor who bowed to Ki-Adi-Mundi. He bowed low to his old friend; he was deserving of at least that.

_Alis grave_

He bowed to Saesee next. The Iktotchi smiled and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, a gesture of honor and respect for his species.

_Ad perpetuam_

Plo was next. His mask hid his face, but the Doctor was certain that his Kel Dor friend was smiling as he bowed low.

_Memoriam_

Finally, the Doctor came to rest at Stass Allie. He had loved her more than anyone else in the galaxy, and he bowed to her the lowest of all his friends. He would always remember the love he held for her.

_Vale Decem_

Ki-Adi-Mundi, Saesee Tiin, Plo Koon, and Stass Allie disappeared from the Doctor's view for the last time. He would never see them again until his thirteenth self died; he knew that much. He was glad that his last encounter with his old friends while he lived ended on good terms, even if it was a bit somber.

_Gratis tibi ago_

The Force was thanking him for his sacrifice. It would remember the tenth body of the Doctor fondly as he moved forward into his eleventh.

_Ad aeternam_

On to eternity would the Doctor go. But he would be a new man. And that was okay.

_Numquam singularis_

The Force was right. The Doctor was never alone. He had friends and companions by his side, and he always would, even unto his dying breath.

_Numquam_

He looked to the friends he had now. They were looking at him curiously, even Obi-Wan, who had partial knowledge of what was about to happen. They would understand; of this the Doctor was sure.

_Dum spiro fido_

In the Doctor's last moments, he remembered everyone who had been important to him these past thirty-two years. Among all the others, he remembered,

_Vale_

Qui-Gon Jinn,

_Vale_

Mace Windu,

_Vale_

Padme Amidala,

_Vale_

Ki-Adi-Mundi,

_Vale_

Saesee Tiin,

_Vale_

Plo Koon,

_Vale_

Stass Allie,

_Vale_

Obi-Wan Kenobi,

_Vale_

Luke Skywalker,

_Vale_

and last, but certainly not least, Jennara Oswin.

The song was ending, and so was the Doctor. He stared at Jennara, and her face was streaked with tears. His hearing had returned to the physical realm, and he could hear that she was sobbing.

"Please don't go," she begged.

"My song is ending, but my story never ends," the Doctor said simply.

As he spoke his final words, the golden light of regeneration began to envelop his body. From his fingers, the golden light streamed forth. It was his time to go.

This particular process was powerful. The energy just kept building and building and building until it reached its peak level of power. The Doctor was a bit daunted, his breathing heavy. He had never done a regeneration this powerful before. He had to release it soon.

_Here goes nothing_.

The Doctor spread his hands wide and released the energy into the Death Star's hangar bay, and he began to regenerate. A noise that sounded a lot like a thunderclap resonated throughout the hangar. The Doctor could just barely hear Obi-Wan telling everyone to get back into the ship. It was probably for the best. The Doctor could hear a crashing sound just behind him. Something in the hangar bay had succumbed to the catastrophic release of energy and fallen. It mattered little to the Doctor. His face was already starting to change. He let out a scream of pain with the unfamiliar voice that was now his own. The energy dissipated. The pain stopped. His regeneration was over. He was a new man.

The Tenth Doctor was no more. From his ashes, the Eleventh Doctor was born.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm going to be very honest. This might be one of my favorite chapters in this story. If not number 1, then at least top five. I just really enjoyed writing this one, as it's such a big moment for the series. For the first time, we get to see a regeneration. We'll see one again in Adventures of the Doctor, but this is the first time it's happened. From here on in, the Eleventh Doctor is our Doctor. But fear not, friends! We'll see Ten again, quite soon, in fact.<strong>

**Anyway, here is Vale Decem, as promised. I tried to write it as close to the actual scene as possible, while taking some liberties, of course. To be honest, I changed Ten's last words for two reasons. 1) I had done "I don't want to go" to death. 2) I just don't feel like he would say "I don't want to go" as a Jedi. It makes sense for him to say it in the show because he's not a Jedi. But in this story, he is a Jedi. He acknowledges the fact that he's going to die, and he might not like it, but who likes to die? Anyway, that's my reasoning for changing the last words of the Tenth Doctor. Hope it's not too offensive or anything.**

**In any case, leave your thoughts about this chapter and the story in general in a review! I really do appreciate your feedback!**

**The next chapter will be posted on its regular day of the week, so look forward to that when it comes out. It's going to feature Eleven's first moments as the Doctor (yes, the scene is pretty much the same), as well as some other things that I won't mention quite yet.**

**I don't normally advertise for things, but I feel like this occasion warrants it. On Youtube, there is a user named kevinsocal2k6, although his channel is listed as KOTOR Trilogy. For those of you who don't know, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was a game made a little over a decade ago for the PC and Xbox. It takes place almost four thousand years before the films and is quite possibly one of the best games I've ever played. Kevinsocal2k6 made three separate feature-length films almost entirely in the KOTOR engine. I've got to say that these films are pretty fantastic, especially the third film, which is indeed the best of the trilogy. If you haven't seen the KOTOR Trilogy, I highly recommend that you check it out. It is well worth it! Alright, advertisement over.**

**Next Friday: The Eleventh Doctor makes his debut in a firefight as the _Millenium Falcon_, joined now by Princess Leia Organa, blasts out of the Death Star to the Rebel Alliance's hidden base.**

**And that about does it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	10. The New Doctor

Chapter Nine: The New Doctor

The Doctor was a bit disoriented. His tenth regeneration had been exceptionally powerful. He had no idea what kind of man he was, as per usual, but he also didn't really know how to do anything except stand there for a moment.

"Doctor! Come on!"

The Doctor knew that voice. It was Jennara Oswin, his Padawan. His mind began running through everything he knew about her. Human. Female. Twenty-seven years old. Trained as a Sentinel. Didn't like to talk about her previous Master, Coleman Kcaj, possibly because she felt responsible for his death.

Before the Doctor could finish jogging his memory about Jennara Oswin, he was pulled by the arm into a ship he quickly recognized as the Millenium Falcon. He got into the main hold before the grip on his arm slackened. The Doctor heard a scream and was yanked back into reality.

"Who are you?!" screamed Jennara Oswin.

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor answered immediately. "Sometimes called the Caretaker. Sometimes called Get Off This Planet, which, to be fair, isn't really a name."

"You're the Doctor?" asked a young woman he quickly recognized as Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan and unwitting twin sister of the man standing next to her, Luke Skywalker. The Doctor almost covered his mouth to keep from blurting it out, but he kept a lid on himself and resigned to answering her question.

"Yes. Yes I am."

"You look a bit, um...different than my father described you," said Leia carefully.

"Well, I did just regenerate," said the Doctor, not even pausing to let Leia or anybody else comprehend what he had just said. "Oh, and that reminds me. I've got to check myself real quick."

The Doctor immediately turned around and began examining his body to see if everything was there.

"Okay, legs," he said as he checked them. "Good. Still got legs. Arms. Hands. Fingers. Ooh," he added as he examined his ten fingers. "Yes. Lots of fingers. Ears? Yes. Eyes? Two. Nose?" The Doctor felt his nose and grimaced for a moment before accepting it. "I've had worse. Chin?" When he got to his chin, he marvelled at the size of it. It was huge!

"Blimey!" he exclaimed. "Hair?" The Doctor felt his long, thick hair. It came down to his neck and he realized something quite terrifying.

"Oh no!" he shouted. "I'm a GIRL!"

The Doctor was terrified. Had he really regenerated into a girl? He had to check for certain. Gripping his throat, he felt the size of the lump in his throat and determined that he was definitely not a girl.

"No. No. I'm not a girl," he said with a sigh of relief.

"Doctor, what's going on?" asked Luke.

"Well, you know what happens when people die?" asked the Doctor to which Luke nodded his head. "I don't."

Jennara was having none of it.

"Where is the Doctor?" she asked him angrily.

"Right here," said the Doctor, pointing to himself. "I'm the Doctor."

"You're not the Doctor," scoffed Jennara. "The Doctor died on that massive space station. Darth Vader killed him! You're just some imposter!"

With that, she stormed out of the main hold, leaving a tense silence so thick that it could be cut with a lightsaber.

"Hey, we just lifted off, but they won't let-" began Han Solo as he strode confidently into the main hold. He took one look at the Doctor and immediately drew his blaster.

"Does everyone like pointing guns at me?" asked the Doctor to nobody in particular. "Because it seems like everywhere I go, there are guns everywhere and they're all pointed at me."

"Who the hell is this guy?" asked Han. "Where's the Doctor?"

"Hello," said the Doctor, waving at Han.

"What happened to you?" asked Han.

"Well, I died, for starters," answered the Doctor. Everyone looked at him curiously, even Obi-Wan. "That big old blast of golden light and energy? That was me dying."

"I believe I can explain," said Obi-Wan. "When a Gallifreyan such as the Doctor is mortally wounded, he can choose to save himself by changing his appearance."

"And just about everything else, too," said the Doctor. "And I'm only minutes out of my regeneration. I don't know what kind of man I am yet. I'm still cooking."

"You're cooking?" asked Leia. "What does that mean?"

"It means I need to figure out soon who I am, or I'll be pretty useless when we go to blow up that station," said the Doctor.

"What?" barked Han.

"What, you didn't get it?" asked the Doctor. "Princess Leia over here certainly knows, don't you? Oh, come on, I worked it out as soon as I sensed her. Great big space station, Princess in another cell block, Empire going haywire over two droids? Princess, you said that the key to saving the Rebellion was stored in R2. I'm thinking it has something to do with that Death Star."

The rumblings of blasterfire raining down on the hull of the Millenium Falcon shook the entire ship. The Doctor fell completely down, unable to keep his balance in his post-regeneration state.

"I knew they weren't going to let us out without a fight!" cried Han. "Luke, you're with me. Chewie's flying us. Come on!"

"Where are we going?" asked Luke as he followed Han.

"To the guns!" barked Han.

"What is it with guns? Seriously," said the Doctor.

"Doctor, I think it's best that we sit down," said Obi-Wan, taking the Doctor's arm and moving him towards the seats where R2 and 3PO were sitting.

"I'm going to the cockpit," said Leia. "I'll help Chewie navigate."

"I'm going with you," said the Doctor.

"Doctor, you're not in a good state," said Leia sympathetically. "Maybe you should stay here."

"Nope, that's okay," responded the Doctor, standing up immediately and running into the cockpit, where Chewbacca was sitting.

"Hello, Chewbacca," said the Doctor. "I'm the Doctor. Well, the new one, anyway."

"Hello, Doctor," said Chewbacca in Shyriiwook. "I like your new chin."

"Thanks. It's a bit big, but I'll grow used to it, I think."

"He knows about regeneration?" asked Leia, who had just come into the cockpit and sat down.

"Yep," said the Doctor. "Two regenerations ago, I saved his village from a terentatek. Nasty business. Then, he met my previous regeneration. So, yeah, he knows."

"Okay," said Leia, not really seeming to want more explanation.

"Here they come," said Han over the communications system.

The Doctor heard the sound of TIE Fighter engines, like the ones they had heard when they first came in. The fighters themselves swarmed around the ship, firing at it when they had a good line of sight.

"How many do you count?" asked the Doctor.

"The computer says four," responded Luke over the COM.

"Lovely," said the Doctor. "Thank you."

"What are you planning, Doctor?" asked Obi-Wan, who had apparently just come into the cockpit.

"Oh hello, Obi-Wan, I didn't see you there," said the Doctor. "Well, if I can get a line of sight on them, I think I might be able to hold them down long enough for the boys to shoot them."

"A sound plan," commented Obi-Wan.

"Only problem is that they're coming in too fast," said Leia.

"Way too fast!" shouted Luke over the COM. "I can't hit any of them!"

"It's okay, Luke," said the Doctor. "I'll help you in a minute, just as soon as I can see them."

An explosion rocked the Millenium Falcon, and the Doctor definitely heard C-3PO cry out in terror. The console alarm beeped rapidly. They had lost something.

"We've lost lateral controls," called Leia.

"Don't worry about it," called Han. "She'll hold together."

The next few moments were tense. The Doctor was trying to get a lock on even one of those fighters for Han and Luke to shoot down. In his state of post-regeneration, his reflexes were dulled. He couldn't get a grip on his senses, but he had to help somehow.

"Luke," said the Doctor suddenly. "I've got one of them. I've slowed him down for you. See if you can finish him off."

"But Doctor, you haven't-" began Obi-Wan.

"Shhhh," shushed the Doctor, covering Obi-Wan's mouth and beard with his hand. "He doesn't need to know that."

A moment later, Luke shouted out, "I got him! I got him!" and the Doctor smiled. Luke had done that without his help, even though he thought he had it.

"Great, kid!" called Han. "Now don't get cocky!"

The Doctor, Obi-Wan, Leia, and Chewbacca watched as three more TIEs continued to swarm around the ship, firing at every chance they got. Han and Luke were doing their best to shoot back, but the enemy fighters were too fast for them. They couldn't hit them.

"Doctor, perhaps we can work together to stop those fighters," suggested Obi-Wan.

"Good idea, Benny boy," said the Doctor. Obi-Wan stared at the Doctor for a moment, perplexed at the new nickname, but outstretched his hand along with the Doctor and caught one of the TIE Fighters.

"He's mine," said Han as the top gun on the Millenium Falcon fired relentlessly at the second TIE. "YEAH!" he shouted when he scored a direct hit.

"Nice work, Han," called the Doctor.

"There are still two more fighters out there," warned Leia.

"We'll get them," said Han quickly, although he didn't sound too sure of himself.

The Doctor and Obi-Wan tried their best to grab at another ship, but the TIEs got smart and avoided the cockpit so that the two Jedi Masters couldn't get a line of sight on them.

"They're avoiding the cockpit, boys," reported the Doctor. "You're on your own for now."

"Great," said Han irritably.

"You can do it," said the Doctor encouragingly. "I know you can."

Han and Luke had their work cut out for them. Without assistance from the Doctor and Obi-Wan, Han worked especially hard to shoot down those fighters. Luke had trouble as well, though not nearly as much as Han.

Luke finished off one of the fighters fairly quickly, a testament to his potential in the Force, no doubt. The Doctor remembered what his previous incarnation had thought about Luke's potential, and he had to say that he had been right. To hit two swarming TIEs within a minute of each other with no assistance from the Force was no small feat for a farm boy just off his home planet. From Han, he expected the ability to shoot down TIEs, but not from Luke. The boy was a natural fighter, and his skills needed to be honed properly. The Doctor had a feeling that Obi-Wan could do that.

All that remained was one lone TIE. With nowhere else to go, he fell quickly to Han's cannon. The smuggler breathed a sigh of relief into the COM. Their fight was over. They had won.

"That's it! We did it!" shouted Luke.

"We did it!" cried Leia, jumping up out of her seat and hugging Chewbacca tightly.

"An admirable battle indeed," said Obi-Wan, though something else was on his mind.

"And perhaps now we can get back to the discussion at hand," suggested the Doctor, looking directly at Leia. The Princess nodded her head, and the crew, minus Jennara, who was unwilling to come out from wherever she was hiding, gathered in the ship's main hold.

"So, what's this all about, Princess?" asked Han. "What did the Doctor mean when he said you were going to blow up that station?"

"It has to do with the information stored in R2's memory banks," said the Doctor.

"Well, what's he carrying?" asked Han.

"The technical readouts to that battle station," answered Leia. "The Death Star. I only hope that the information we have can pinpoint a weakness."

"You're going to attack that thing?!" cried Han. "Why?!"

"So other systems won't suffer the same fate as Alderaan," answered Leia sadly. The Doctor placed a hand of comfort on her shoulder. He knew what it was like to lose one's homeworld.

"Well, count me out, sister!" said Han. "I ain't in this for your revolution. I'm in it for the money."

"You know, I wonder if you care about anything," said the Doctor accusingly.

"Well, as soon as we drop you loonies off to wherever you're going, I'm getting my reward and getting out of this mess," said Han defensively as he left the main hold to go to the cockpit.

"Princess?" asked Chewbacca. "Might I ask where we're going?"

"He's asking you where we're going," translated the Doctor. He knew she couldn't speak or understand Shyriiwook.

"The Yavin system," answered Leia. "Fourth moon."

Chewbacca nodded, then left to tell Han where they were going, leaving the Doctor, Luke, Obi-Wan, Leia, and the droids in the main hold.

In the silence that followed, the Doctor had a terrifying thought. He kept his face as neutral as he could, but the idea still scared him quite a lot.

"Does anybody else think that escape was a bit too easy?" he asked suddenly.

"Easy?" asked Luke, perplexed at how that could possibly have been easy.

"I was wondering the same thing," said Obi-Wan.

"I don't follow, sir," said C-3PO. "Could you explain?"

"I'd be happy to," said the Doctor, clapping his hands together, eager to show off his new mind for a little bit.

"First off, the number of TIEs was considerably lower than I had thought it would be," said the Doctor. "There were only four. I was expecting forty."

"Forty?!" burst out Luke.

"If they really wanted to kill us, they would have sent more than that," said the Doctor. "No, I don't think they want to kill us at all. I think they let us go. They're probably tracking us with some kind of fancy Imperial homing device right now."

"We're leading them right to the Rebels!" cried Leia.

"Not to worry," said the Doctor. "It just means that we'll have to move quickly to interpret that data that R2 is carrying."

"You said 'we,'" observed Leia. "Does that mean you're going to help us?"

"Yes, of course it means I'm going to help you," said the Doctor. "I mean, if Luke wants to join, then so will I."

"And I," said Obi-Wan.

"So, Luke, what's it going to be?" asked the Doctor.

"Are you kidding?" asked Luke rhetorically. "Of course I'll join the Rebellion!"

"Good! Brilliant! Excellent! Lovely!" exclaimed the Doctor, one phrase after the other. "So, that takes care of that. Now all we have to do is hope that that great big moony-woony thing doesn't get here too quickly. Otherwise, big lasers and explosions and pow, bang, boom, and that would just be a Health and Safety nightmare."

And so, the Millenium Falcon entered hyperspace for Yavin, taking its occupants closer and closer to their ultimate destiny. For that, the Doctor was extremely excited.

* * *

><p><strong>And there you have it! The Eleventh Doctor's first outing as this story's new doctor! Woohoo! I'm really happy with this one, mainly because I included more than a few Eleven references in it!<strong>

**So, what did you think? Let me know in a review your thoughts. I'm eager to know!**

**Also, I just saw The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, with my dad. It was quite excellent! Highly recommended!**

**Nothing else to say, really. Nice and short author's note! Just the way I like it!**

**Next Friday: The Doctor and crew meet up with the Rebel Alliance and set R2-D2 to work.**

**And that's about it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	11. The Alliance to Restore the Republic

Chapter Ten: The Alliance to Restore the Republic

The man who was called Vader was worried. He had killed the Doctor; he knew that much. Nobody, not even the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, could possibly be able to survive a slash through the chest from a lightsaber. Vader was certain that the Doctor was dead.

So why could he still feel the Doctor's presence in the Force?

Long after the Doctor should have died, Vader could still feel him. It was just slightly different, but it was unmistakably still the Doctor. Had he been right? Had he come back from the dead, more powerful than ever? If so, what did it mean for Vader and his Master?

"Are they away?"

The droll of Governor Wilhuff Tarkin's voice brought Vader out of his thoughts. Tarkin, a thin, bony man who looked ready to snap if the wind blew too hard, was the commander in charge of the Death Star and the only man foolish enough to tell Vader what to do. To be fair, it was his battle station, but Vader did not like being ordered around by a man he could break like a toothpick in a few seconds. As much as he didn't like Tarkin, he still answered his question.

"They just made the jump into hyperspace," said Vader.

_And I have a feeling that the Doctor went with them,_ he added to himself.

"And you're sure the homing beacon is secure aboard their ship?" asked Tarkin. The man's voice betrayed a hint of fear, and Vader capitalized on that.

"While the crew was running around this battle station, I had some of my mechanics place it," he said. "Although, whether it stayed intact while your TIE fighters were shooting at it, I do not know," he added with a smile that only he could feel and see.

"Don't toy with me, Vader!" barked Tarkin. "I'm taking an awful risk here."

"I understand, Governor," said Vader, his time to joke at an end.

"This had better work," muttered Tarkin as an officer by the name of Conan Antonio Motti approached Vader.

"L-Lord Vader," said Motti, afraid of Vader, and rightly so. The man had doubted the ability of the Force in comparison to the Death Star, and Vader had shown the dear admiral the error of his ways via a simple Force Choke. It clearly knocked some sense into him.

"Yes, Admiral?" asked Vader.

"The Emperor demands you make contact with him," said Motti, his shoulders slack, as though he feared that Vader would react violently to him for merely speaking to him.

"Very well," said Vader, and he watched in delight as Motti's chest rapidly compressed, as if he had let out a breath he had been holding for some time.

Vader said nothing more, instead electing to walk to his private communication chamber, from which he could contact his Master, Lord Sidious.

As he walked, Vader remembered something else about his duel with the Doctor. He had hesitated on several occasions. Why had that been? It was not as though he didn't want to kill the Doctor. He wanted to kill him more than any other Jedi besides Obi-Wan Kenobi. But something had made him hesitate. What was it? Perhaps his subconscious was remembering how kind the Doctor had been when Anakin Skywalker first came to the Jedi Temple. He had been very kind indeed. A beacon to rally around, a light to show the way, a friend when none were around.

Vader stopped himself. That life was behind him. He had killed one of the last traces of his past. He was now almost totally Vader. All he had to do was finish what he started on Mustafar and kill Obi-Wan Kenobi. The circle would be complete, he told himself.

At last, he reached his communications chamber. A hologram of Lord Sidious was waiting for him. Vader bowed to his Master reverently.

"What is thy bidding, my Master?" asked Vader as a form of salutation.

"Lord Vader," said Sidious. "How go the tests?"

"Another successful test," reported Vader. "No doubt you felt the extinguishment of life on Alderaan."

"Yes, Lord Vader," said Sidious with a smile, as if he enjoyed mass killing. "It was quite glorious."

Vader was silent for a moment. He was thinking about his duel with the Doctor. He had to tell his Master about his worries, but he didn't quite know how to phrase them.

"What troubles you, Lord Vader?" asked Sidious.

"A ship that was apparently trying to reach Alderaan had docked with the Death Star, my Lord," said Vader.

"Go on," said Sidious, his interest not yet sparked.

"The crew hid themselves from us and managed to escape, but not before I killed one of them," said Vader.

"Why are you telling me this, Lord Vader?" asked Sidious, his voice rising in anger. Vader was wasting time. He needed to tell his Master what had happened now.

"The crew member I killed was the Doctor," said Vader.

Instantly, Vader felt all of Sidious's concentration bore down upon him. That had certainly gotten his attention.

"You slew the Doctor?" he asked.

"Yes, my Lord," said Vader. "Or so I believe."

"What do you mean?" asked Sidious.

"I can still feel his presence, my Lord, even after I slew him," said Vader. "It feels different, yet it is unmistakably him."

"Different, you say?" said Sidious. Vader risked a glance and saw that his Master's hologram was stroking its chin in thought.

"Yes, my Lord," said Vader. "That is what has been troubling me."

"Hmmm..." said Sidious, trailing off. "It's possible that the Doctor has regenerated."

"Regenerated, my Lord?" asked Vader, confused at the term. "I am not familiar with the concept."

"There are few who are," said Sidious. "Jedi Masters or those in close ties with the Order were among those who have ever learned of the Doctor's ability. Many beings in the galaxy assume that there was a new man taking the seat of the Grand Master every few decades when they were, in fact, one and the same. I myself had only heard rumor of this ability. Our Sith predecessors never saw a regeneration before, and they never visited his hellhole of a planet."

"You believe that the Doctor still exists?" asked Vader.

"I don't doubt it for a moment," said Sidious. "Although, if the stories are true, he will look, sound, and act very differently from the Doctor we knew. Be on your guard, Lord Vader. If the Doctor keeps one thing through each regeneration, it will almost certainly be his meddlesome ways. He will resurface again, and then you will kill him again."

"Yes, my Master," said Vader.

Sidious's hologram faded away, and Vader stood, reeling at the chance to kill the Doctor again.

* * *

><p>The <em>Millenium Falcon<em> arrived at the fourth moon of Yavin a few hours after leaving the Death Star. The Doctor spent much of that time looking for the Imperial tracking device on the ship. He was almost certain that it was here. He just needed to find it. It had to be on the ship somewhere, but where? He still had yet to regain all of his senses, so he needed to look for it the old-fashioned way.

The old-fashioned way bored him. That was one thing he noticed about this new body. He thought a thousand things in just a few milliseconds. His mind was a whir, and as such, he got bored very quickly. He had to keep doing things, otherwise he might have just keeled over and died from lack of movement.

Another thing the Doctor needed to find was his lightsaber. He must have misplaced it after he regenerated. He had no recollection of ever holding it with his new hands, even when he was disoriented at the beginning of his eleventh life.

At least he had given himself something to do the entire ride over. The trouble was he didn't find the tracking device by the time they got to Yavin IV. The Imperials would almost certainly find them now. The Rebels had to download the information stored in R2 quickly.

Yavin IV was a lush jungle moon orbiting the gas giant Yavin Prime. Gigantic Massassi temples littered the landscape. This whole moon used to be corrupted by the Dark Side before the Jedi cleansed it during the Great Hunt a few millennia ago. It remained a very beautiful moon since then, and the view of Yavin Prime was absolutely gorgeous, especially at night.

The _Falcon_ was cleared to land by Rebel security, and the crew got off the ship one by one.

"Princess," called Jennara, who came out of hiding, running up to Leia. "I found this in one of the storage compartments in the cargo hold." Jennara held out a device that looked foreign to the Doctor.

"It's Imperial," said Leia sadly. "You were right, Doctor. They were tracking us."

"All the more reason to get that information from R2's memory banks," said the Doctor.

"Come on, then," said Leia.

The Doctor, Obi-Wan, Luke, R2, and 3PO made to follow Leia as she entered the giant temple-like structure that served as a Rebel base. Han and Chewbacca were talking to a Rebel officer about getting paid for their services, and Jennara stayed where she was. The Doctor looked at her and told her to come with them, but she avoided eye contact with the Doctor, instead wandering off to somewhere else. As the Doctor turned around, he felt her glare at him, as if he were some sort of traitor.

He couldn't understand it. Why was Jennara so hostile towards him all of a sudden? He knew it had something to do with the regeneration, but why would she be angry about that? It wasn't as though he had prepared her for his death a hundred times before, so why was she angry?

The Doctor put it out of his mind as he got aboard a small hovercraft used for carrying supplies and personnel across a base. All around them were Rebels; soldiers, pilots, officers, support staff. All were watching the arrival of the newcomers. The Doctor saw several dozen fighters, both X-Wing fighters and Y-Wing bombers. There were so many of them, each with their own pilots, but he knew that the Imperial Fleet could easily crush this resistance if they merely arrived here and started a campaign. Even still, the esprit de corps that erupted like a wave from each of these men and women was something that the Doctor admired. There was nothing like that on the Death Star.

The hovercraft stopped moving, and the Doctor, Leia, Luke, Obi-Wan, and the droids were greeted by an old man who looked to be in his mid-sixties. The Doctor recognized him as Jan Dodonna, who was a captain during the Clone Wars. He had never served with him, although he knew of the man's record.

Leia ran up to Dodonna and hugged the old man.

"Thank the Force you're safe!" he cried jovially. "When we heard of the destruction of Alderaan, we feared the worst."

"Unfortunately, many millions of people died when the planet was destroyed," Leia said sadly, her head hung low. "The good news is that this R2 unit survived. He has information regarding the Death Star. We have to analyze it quickly. Hopefully, we can find a weakness."

"With the Force, we will," said Dodonna.

"Captain Dodonna!" blurted out the Doctor as he and the others got off the hovercraft. "Good to see you!"

"It's General now. I haven't been called Captain Dodonna since the Clone War," laughed Dodonna. "I'm sorry. Who might you be?"

"I don't know if you'll recognize me, but I'm the Doctor," said the Doctor.

"I've heard of a man called the Doctor, but you look nothing like him," said Dodonna curiously. "Are you his son? I know that Jedi weren't allowed to marry and have children and all, but there were some exceptions."

"No, General," laughed Leia. "This man really is the Doctor."

"By the Force," said Dodonna. "The stories are true."

"What stories?" asked the Doctor.

"Some people say that a Gallifreyan such as yourself can change his appearance at will," said Dodonna. "They say that the last ten Grand Masters of the Jedi Order were all the same man."

"That's true," said the Doctor. "That man is me."

"How remarkable," said Dodonna.

"As remarkable as it is, General," suggested Obi-Wan, "perhaps we should translate our little friend's data." As he said this, R2 waddled up to General Dodonna, 3PO in tow.

"My, my, if it isn't General Kenobi," said Dodonna, shocked that two famed Jedi were in his presence. "Of course. Our technicians will get started right away."

With that, a technician loaded R2 up onto another hovercraft, and the astromech droid was taken to another room, where his data could hopefully present a weakness. Luke walked up to General Dodonna and nervously addressed the man immediately after.

"H-hello, sir," he stammered. "M-my name is Luke. How c-can I help the Rebellion?"

"Well, my boy, what are you best at?" asked Dodonna. "Piloting, technical support? You name it. We've got plenty of need for everything, I can assure you."

"Well, sir, I'm a pretty good pilot," said Luke.

"Is this true?" asked Dodonna.

"If I may, General," put in Obi-Wan. "This young man is the son of Anakin Skywalker."

"By the Force!" exclaimed Dodonna. "It seems that legends are flocking to the Rebellion left and right! You're really the son of Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yes, sir, I am," Luke said proudly.

_If only you knew, Luke,_ thought the Doctor to himself.

"Well, then, I'm sure you'll be one of the best pilots in the Rebellion!" exclaimed Dodonna. "Do you know how to fly an X-Wing?"

"I haven't had much experience in them, but I'm sure I can pick it up quickly," Luke said confidently.

"Good lad," said Dodonna. "Grab some gear, son. You'll definitely need it if you're going to attack that Death Star with the rest of the flyboys."

"Thank you, sir," said Luke, and the Doctor noticed that he could barely contain his excitement.

"Your designation will be Red Five," said Dodonna. "Welcome aboard, Skywalker."

"Yes, sir," said Luke. "Thank you, sir."

Luke then ran off to get Rebel pilot gear. Meanwhile, Dodonna ushered Leia, Obi-Wan, 3PO, and the Doctor to the room where R2 was plugged in to a machine that could interpret his data.

R2 beeped and whistled excitedly when he saw his friends coming towards him.

"Behave, R2," admonished 3PO. "The Alliance officers need to interpret this data."

"He's just happy to see us, 3PO," said the Doctor. "Nothing to worry about."

"The readouts are being downloaded right now, General," said the Rebel officer in the tech room. "Shouldn't be more than a few minutes."

"Good," said Dodonna. "If the Empire was tracking your ship, we don't have much time before they arrive."

"Let's hope there's a weakness to be found," said Leia.

The Doctor watched as the mass of data was displayed on the viewscreen for the Jedi Masters, the Princess, the General, and the droids to see. He could see a map of the Death Star, quite accurate in detail. The Empire may have been comprised of selfish, greedy politicians and grunts used for cannon fodder, but they certainly knew how to plan out a battle station. The Rebels had a bit of trouble finding a weak point; there were none to be found. Except one.

Just as the Doctor saw it, R2 started beeping and whistling excitedly again, although this excitement was triumphant, not as jubilant as before.

"What's he saying?" asked Leia quickly.

"He's saying he's found a weak point in the Death Star," translated the Doctor. "I found it as well."

"Where is it?" asked Dodonna.

"Right here," said the Doctor, pointing to a spot on the Death Star that appeared to him quite clearly, though not, apparently, to everyone else. "R2, zoom into that trench."

R2 did as the Doctor instructed, zooming into the trench the Doctor had seen and following it to a small exhaust port, only two meters wide at maximum. The Doctor knew their chances were slim if this opening was the only weakness to the Death Star, but he showed nothing on his face as he explained what the Rebels had to do.

"You've got to send proton torpedoes into this exhaust port here," instructed the Doctor. "It should lead straight to the main reactor core of the station."

"That target's pretty small," said Leia worriedly. "You're sure that's the only weak spot?"

"It's masterfully crafted, Princess," said the Doctor. "I almost didn't expect to find anything. But everything has at least one weak point. This is it for the Death Star."

"It's going to take a one-in-a-million shot to blow that thing," said Dodonna. "But it's our only option. Commander, assemble the pilots. I'll brief them myself."

"Yes, sir," said the tech officer.

The Doctor and Obi-Wan quickly left the room, giving each other knowing looks.

"You think Luke can do it?" asked Obi-Wan.

"I'm positive," said the Doctor. "If anyone can do it, it's him."

"I agree," said Obi-Wan. "We'll monitor him from the command center?"

"No, I have another idea," said the Doctor. Obi-Wan would monitor Luke from the command center, but the Doctor had other plans in mind for his participation in his eleventh incarnation's first full-scale battle.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello, friends! Wow, it feels like it's been forever since I posted a chapter, even though it's only been a week! It's just felt so long. Blech! Anyway, I'm here now with a new chapter, in which we finally meet the Rebels! Woohoo! That's pretty fun!<strong>

**I've received some very kind reviews in this volume from several users, including Natalkeh, TimeTravelinc, Skylark C, crossMIRAGE19, Toaofwriting, war sage, Blue elf 89, and Spike Trap. Thank you very much, all of you! It's awesome to know that you like reading my story as much as I loved writing it! Some of you had a few questions that I'd like to answer.**

**Spike Trap asked if Eleven will have the purple suit and bow tie. While he won't get the purple suit in the story, he does make mention of eventually switching to something purple in Return of the Jedi. And as for the bow tie...well, as you said, Spike Trap, you can't have Eleven without the bow tie. He'll have it by the end of this volume.**

**I don't know if I've mentioned the thing with the TARDIS before, but just in case, I'll clear it up here. TimeTravelinc wanted to know where in this universe is the TARDIS. To be honest, I debated not having the TARDIS in this story at all, as the time travel element wouldn't fit. But when I got to the Tenth Doctor's confrontation with the War Doctor, I decided to throw in a casual reference to the Drolemit Gallifreyans (which, by the way, is Time Lord spelled backwards) having war machines called Tardises. As for the Doctor's TARDIS, I went over it in my head and decided that I wanted to include the TARDIS somewhere in this story. I decided to have the Doctor and Jennara go back for the freighter they had left at Obi-Wan's hut on Tatooine and bring it to the new Rebel base on Hoth. It was in the beginning minutes of the Battle of Hoth that the Doctor officially christened that freighter as the _Tardis_. So, technically, we've already seen the Tardis, just not when it was called the _Tardis_. Anyway, I hope that answers that question!**

**Also, Skylark C, I am definitely in agreement with you! Having Ten say "I don't want to go" just wouldn't fit in with the whole Jedi thing, in my opinion. I'm glad that you agree with me on that point!**

**So, what did you think of this chapter? Leave your thoughts in a review! They are always appreciated!**

**Next Friday: The Rebels plan their suicidal assault on the dreaded Death Star, and the Doctor hatches a plan of his own.**

**And that about does it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	12. Prepare for Battle

Chapter Eleven: Prepare for Battle

General Dodonna called all Rebel pilots to the briefing room about an hour after R2-D2's data had been translated. The Doctor, Obi-Wan, and Leia stood with him at the front of the room as he addressed the pilots. The Doctor saw Han and Chewbacca standing in the back of the room. Han looked at Dodonna and the pilots as though they were all crazy, and perhaps they were, but that didn't stop these brave men from trying to defeat the Empire.

The Doctor counted eighteen pilots, composing two squadrons; Red and Gold. Twelve T-65 X-Wing pilots and six BTL-A4 Y-Wing pilots. It seemed a bit underwhelming to the Doctor, but he deferred to General Dodonna. The man knew what he was doing.

"The Death Star is heavily shielded," began Dodonna as an image of the Death Star came onto a screen behind him. "It carries a firepower greater than half the starfleet."

"Pardon me for asking, sir," said Garven Dreis, who served as leader of Red Squadron, "but what good are our snub fighters going to be against that thing?"

"Excellent question, Commander," said the Doctor, taking over the meeting from General Dodonna for a moment. "The Empire doesn't really consider any of your fighters to be a threat at all. They're more worried about large-scale attacks because who would honestly be crazy enough to attack a station that size with less than two dozen fighters?" The Doctor's little joke was lost on the pilots, so, a bit more seriously, he added, "Their defenses aren't quite tight enough to hold snub fighters off. They should be able to breach the outer defenses and fly right on the surface."

"We've analyzed the technical plans provided by Princess Leia, and we've found a weakness," continued Dodonna. "But the approach will not be easy."

As Dodonna explained the plan, the Doctor saw the screen zoom in on the trench with the target area.

"You will have to maneuver straight down this trench, skimming the surface of the Death Star to this point," said Dodonna, at which point the screen stopped at the exhaust port, the Death Star's one and only weakness. "The target area is only two meters wide."

"For those of you wondering," said the Doctor, "it's a tiny little thermal exhaust port that's located right beneath the main port. The shaft accessed through that port leads directly to the central reactor of the Death Star. Bit silly of the designers to make it like that, but they were building a space station that is literally the size of a moon, so that little oversight can be forgiven. Anyway, get a precise hit on that port, and kablamo! No more Death Star!"

"Remember: only a precise hit will generate the reaction," said Dodonna.

"Also, one more thing," warned the Doctor. "That port is ray-shielded, so you're going to have to use proton torpedoes."

"Proton torpedoes?" asked Wedge Antilles, Red Two. "Even for a computer, that's impossible."

"Not quite impossible, Wedge," said the Doctor.

"Yeah," agreed Luke, who was sitting next to Wedge. "I used to bulls-eye womp rats back in my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."

Wedge nodded his head, but he still looked a bit skeptical.

"I think we're done here, General," said Leia with a sense of finality. "They know what to do."

"I agree, Princess," said Dodonna. "Man your ships, and may the Force be with you."

The pilots all nodded and stood, preparing themselves for battle.

The Doctor noticed that Han was rolling his eyes at the Rebels. He still thought them to be fools for taking on such a seemingly impossible task, but he was wrong. The Doctor could sense that the Force was with them this day. The Rebels had a chance. It was small, nearly insignificant, but it was there, and the Doctor would be there every step of the way with them.

"Are you sure about this, Doctor?" asked Obi-Wan once the two Jedi Masters reached the hangar bay, where the pilots were scrambling to their fighters. "You haven't told General Dodonna about your plan."

"He'll argue that I shouldn't operate machinery, Obi-Wan, especially since I've just regenerated, at which point I would agree with him," said the Doctor. "I really shouldn't be doing this, but I need to."

"Why?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Because I need Jennara," said the Doctor. "This is really the quickest way to get her to realize that I'm still the Doctor, even though I've changed."

"And how will you do that, Doctor?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Don't really know," called the Doctor as he ran off to find Jennara, who seemed to be actively avoiding him. "Haven't the foggiest idea what I'm going to even attempt to do yet, but I'll think of something."

As the Doctor dashed through the hangar bay, he came across Han and Chewbacca loading up several crates onto the _Millenium Falcon_. Luke was also present, but he walked away from Han a bit angrily. The Doctor understood Luke's frustration; he could sense that Han was planning on leaving the Rebels to put his reward to use.

"You're leaving," said the Doctor.

"Look, I just got done talking to Luke about this," said Han defensively. "What good's a reward if you ain't around to use it?"

"You know, Han," said the Doctor. "I expected a bit more from you. You are a good man. A very good man. Chewbacca can attest to that. Because of you, he's alive. The Empire would have enslaved him, killed him, most likely, and you would still be in the Empire's service. We might not have had a way to get to Alderaan if you hadn't made the decision to save him. And the Rebels would have lost a long time ago."

"What's your point?" asked Han.

"My point is, Han, you're going to have to make another choice," said the Doctor. "To save people you hardly know or save yourself from what seems like suicide. It's a difficult choice, I know. I've made it plenty of times. But I've come out of it okay. Just think about that as you leave them today. Think about how many lives you could possibly save if you stayed."

The Doctor patted Han's shoulder and walked off, resuming his quest to find Jennara.

"Doctor?" called Han.

The Doctor turned and looked at Han with his old eyes, and Han looked back at him with his young eyes.

"Have you ever had to...you know, regenerate because you made that decision?" he asked. "Because you decided to save people you hardly knew?"

"Just once," answered the Doctor after a moment, recalling back to his ninth regeneration. As he remembered, he had lost his poor Rose anyway. He still felt guilty about that. He had cared for her, more than she knew.

Han nodded his head, then continued loading up the crates. The Doctor turned from the smuggler and walked off to find Jennara. He could sense her presence, and she was still angry at him. He followed her presence around, and he eventually found her sitting by an old BLT-S3 Y-Wing fighter, a two-man variant of the A4s the Rebels used. The Doctor noticed the pilots clambering into their seats, and he knew he had to act quickly.

"Come on, then," he told Jennara, but the young Padawan stayed put, saying nothing.

"I can't fly one of these on my own," said the Doctor. "I need you."

Again, Jennara said nothing, shuffling so that her body was angled away from the Doctor.

"Why are you so hostile towards me?" asked the Doctor. "Is it because of the regeneration?"

Jennara's silence was answer enough. It was because of the regeneration.

"You're unwilling to accept that I am the Doctor, then," said the Doctor. "That's fine, but I need you to come with me."

"Why?" asked Jennara, the first word she had spoken to him since she stormed from the main hold of the _Millenium Falcon_.

"Because I need you," said the Doctor. "You have your grievance with me, and that's okay. We'll sort that out later. But you are a Jedi. You have pledged yourself to the service of good. These pilots are good men who are about to fly off to try and destroy the Death Star before it solidifies the Empire's status as the permanent ruling faction in the galaxy. It is your duty to help them. You may not care for me, but you will not walk away from your duty because you don't think that I'm the Doctor. We are Jedi. We don't walk away."

Jennara needed no further prodding. She may not have liked the new Doctor, but the Doctor knew that he was right. She shouldn't walk away from helping the Rebels, no matter what. The Jedi were going to help them destroy the Death Star, and that was an order.

Jennara climbed into the gunner's seat, and the Doctor strapped himself into the pilot's seat.

"Won't we be needing an astromech?" asked Jennara.

"No, that would just be silly," said the Doctor, secretly pleased that Jennara was talking to him again. "I've got the brain power of five hundred astromechs, give or take."

"Do you really?" asked Jennara skeptically.

"Of course I do," answered the Doctor. "Well, let's go, then."

And with that, the Doctor and Jennara lifted off in their Y-Wing to join the other Y-Wings and the X-Wings in taking down the Death Star. He could sense various hopes from the Rebel pilots. Wedge Antilles, flying his X-Wing, hoped that the Death Star could be blown up by such a small team of fighters. Commander Garven Dreis, in his own X-Wing, hoped that he and his boys made it out okay. Luke Skywalker, also in an X-Wing, hoped that the Doctor had been right when he said that the Force was with them.

If anything, the Doctor really hoped that Alliance Command wouldn't be too angry at him for stealing one of their ships and flying into battle without their permission.

* * *

><p><strong>So, I realized at, like, one in the morning last night that I forgot to post a new chapter. I apologize for that. Must have just slipped my mind or something. Anyway, here's the new chapter! It's setup for the Death Star battle, which is coming up next!<strong>

**Here, we see the initial animosity that Jennara has for the Doctor. I didn't want her to just immediately accept the new Doctor because she'd been palling around with the old one for nineteen years, and suddenly, this other guy claims that he's the Doctor. Naturally, she's not going to like Eleven at first. It's a phase. It'll pass.**

**Reviews are appreciated! Tell me what you thought about this (late) chapter in a review! I'm eager to hear what you think!**

**News time!**

**In Doctor Who news: Series 9's first episode (not counting the Christmas Special) will have an airdate sometime this fall. I don't know exactly when, but it's in that general timeframe. Twelve and Clara will be back, and apparently, Missy will be back as well. I'm interested to see if Moffat will have a good excuse as to why the Master escaped death by Cyberman laser, or if Missy will say something along the lines of, "I escaped death by Cyberman laser." Should be neat.**

**In Star Wars news: J. J. Abrams has confirmed that some of the Episode VII rumors floating around the Internet are true, though he's not saying which ones. Cheeky, Mr. Abrams, very cheeky.**

**In SW(SD) news: No, I will not be writing a Star Wars (Starring the Doctor) for Episode VII. Wouldn't even know where to begin with that.**

**Next Friday: The Doctor takes to space and works against the clock to destroy the Death Star before it spells certain doom for his new friends, the Rebels!**

**And that about does it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


	13. Trench Warfare

Chapter Twelve: Trench Warfare

The Doctor and the Rebel pilots flew out of Yavin IV's atmosphere into space. They were able to fly right around Yavin Prime, where they found the Death Star looming in the distance, orbiting Yavin Prime in order to reach the moon. By the Doctor's calculations, the Rebel pilots had roughly fifteen minutes to destroy the Death Star.

_Fifteen minutes to blow up a moon,_ thought the Doctor. _Lovely._

The Doctor looked at the roster for the pilots who were flying this mission. He memorized each of their faces and voices. He wanted to mourn them properly if they died while on this mission.

"Red Squadron, report in!" called Commander Dreis.

"Red Ten, standing by," reported Theron Nett.

"Red Seven, standing by," said Elyhek Rue.

"Red Three, standing by," said Biggs Darklighter a bit nervously.

"Red Six, standing by," called Jek Porkins.

"Red Nine, standing by," said Nozzo Naytaan.

"Red Two, standing by," said Wedge Antilles.

"Red Eleven, standing by," reported Wenton Chan.

"Red Five, standing by," said Luke. The Doctor could hear the excitement in his voice.

"Red Four, standing by," said John Branon.

"Red Twelve, standing by," called Puck Naeco.

"Red Eight, standing by," said Bren Quersey.

"Red Leader, standing by," called Commander Dreis. "You're up, Gold!"

"Gold Three, standing by," said Ryle Torsyn.

"Gold Six, standing by," called Hol Okand.

"Gold Two, standing by," called Tiree.

"Gold Five, standing by," reported Davish Krail.

"Gold Four, standing by," said Lepira.

"Gold Leader, standing by," said Jon Vander.

"Alright, boys, here we go," said Commander Dreis.

"Wait, sir," called Wedge Antilles. "There's another Y-Wing we didn't account for. One of the old S3s."

"Pilot in the BTL-S3, report in!" barked Commander Dreis.

The Doctor remembered that he was in the S3, and he quickly activated his communicator.

"Yes, hello," said the Doctor. "This is the Doctor. Jennara Oswin is my gunner. Didn't really know which squadron we belonged to, so I guess you could just call us Blue Leader."

"Doctor?" called General Dodonna from the command center on the moon. "What in the name of the Force are you doing up there?"

"I'm helping to blow up a moon, General," said the Doctor. "Wow, that's not something you say every day."

"Doctor, get down here at once!" ordered Dodonna.

"No can do, General," said the Doctor. "I've got a plan."

"And that plan involves what exactly?" asked Dodonna.

"You'll see," said the Doctor cryptically.

"Fine," resigned Dodonna. "You can stay up there, Doctor. Continue with the operation, Commander Dreis."

"Yes, sir," said Red Leader. "Lock S-foils in attack position."

The Doctor did so, and he saw the S-foils of the X-Wings move to make the shape from which the fighter got its name. The fighters flew towards the Death Star, at which point the Doctor felt a little jolt that pushed him forward in his seat along with Jennara.

"What was that?" asked the young Padawan.

"We've passed through the magnetic field of the Death Star," reported the Doctor.

"Angle your deflector shields to double front," ordered Commander Dreis. "We're going in."

As the pilots moved closer and closer to the Death Star, they got a sense of just how big it was. The Doctor had seen it before, but it still amazed him that the Empire could construct this technological terror. It was huge!

"Look at the size of that thing!" cried Wedge.

"It is really big," said Jennara.

"Oh, I've seen bigger," said the Doctor.

"Have you really?" asked Biggs Darklighter.

"Are you joking?! It's massive!" cried the Doctor.

"Cut the chatter and accelerate to attack speed!" called Commander Dreis.

The fighters accelerated as Commander Dreis said, and the Doctor felt a rush of speed coming from his Y-Wing. He was ready.

"Red Leader, this is Gold Leader," called Vander. "We're starting our attack run."

"I copy, Gold Leader!" said Commander Dreis. "Red Squadron will cut across the axis and draw their fire. Doctor, you'll be with us."

"Right-o, Commander," acknowledged the Doctor.

As soon as the fighters reached within a hundred meters of the Death Star's surface, the Air Defense towers were firing wildly at them, trying their best to hit the snub fighters with all they had. The Doctor flew low to avoid the big green lasers.

"Heavy fire coming at us, boss," called Biggs.

"I see it!" said Dreis. "Do what the Doctor's doing! Stay low!"

The Doctor continued to stay low, firing at the defense towers whenever he could. Jennara also helped by firing at them, even managing to damage one of them significantly.

"This is Red Five. I'm going in," called Luke, who proceeded to fire wildly at the Death Star's surface. It did little except create an explosion, and Luke flew right in to it. For a hearts-stopping moment, the Doctor thought he had been killed in that explosion, but then the young man flew out, breathing heavily.

"Luke, are you alright?" asked Biggs.

"Little cooked, but I'm fine," said Luke.

"Good thing, too," said the Doctor. "Can't have you dying on us yet."

"Watch out, boys!" called Dreis. "There's a lot of fire coming from that defense tower on the right."

The Doctor saw it. It was a particularly trigger-happy Imperial who was controlling that defense tower. He was certainly giving the pilots some trouble.

"Jennara and I are on it," said the Doctor. "Cover us, Jek."

"Right with you, Blue Leader," said Porkins, who flew to cover the Doctor as he made his approach on the tower.

The Doctor, Jennara, and Porkins fired at the tower, quickly destroying it with their combined firepower.

"Nice one!" called Wedge.

"Uh, I've got a problem," said Porkins. "One of those lasers must have clipped something important."

"Eject," said the Doctor.

"No, no, it's okay," said Porkins.

"Porkins, pull up!" cried Jennara.

"I can hold her tog-" Porkins was interrupted by the explosion of his X-Wing, which killed him instantly.

"NO!" screamed the Doctor.

"He's gone," said Jennara softly.

Porkins's final scream was shrouded by the explosion, and the Doctor sat back in his pilot's seat, the reality of the situation sinking into his mind. They might all die trying to destroy the Death Star. The Doctor was ready to sacrifice himself to defeat the Empire, but he didn't want to sacrifice the Rebels to do that.

Time brought him back to reality. The Doctor remembered how much time had passed and realized that they had seven minutes to destroy this massive space station. He spotted Luke's X-Wing and noticed that he could take out a gun if he fired immediately.

_Luke,_ the Doctor thought to him. _Trust your feelings. Fire now._

Luke emanated confusion, but fired as the Doctor instructed, destroying a hidden gun in the process.

"Good shot, Luke," congratulated the Doctor.

"How did you do that, Doctor?" asked Luke.

"Do what?" asked the Doctor, feigning ignorance.

"Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals," called General Dodonna from the command center. "Enemy fighters are coming your way."

"I can't see anything! My scope's negative!" cried Luke.

"Pick up your visual scanning," ordered Dreis. "Here they come!"

The Doctor heard the familiar sound of TIE Fighter engines. They were indeed coming, and there were a lot of them.

"Watch out, Red Four!" called the Doctor. "You have one on your tail!"

"I can't shake him!" cried John Branon. "I'm hit!" he added a moment later as green laser caught his fighter in flames. Branon was consumed by the flames and killed instantly. The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment in mourning of the dead pilot.

"Biggs, you've got one on your back! Watch out!" cried Luke.

"I can't see him!" shouted Biggs. "He's on me tight!"

"Hold on, Red Three!" called Wedge. "I'll get him for you!"

A moment later, Wedge's X-Wing picked up the TIE that was pursuing Biggs. He fired on it, destroying it instantly.

"Good shot, Red Two!" cried Jennara.

"Watch your back, Luke! Watch your back!" called Dreis. "You've picked one up."

"I'm on him!" said the Doctor. Just as he spoke, one of Luke's engines was grazed by a blast from the TIE that was following him.

"I'm hit, but it isn't too bad," said Luke. "R2, see what you can do with it!"

"Pull through, R2!" called the Doctor as he searched for Luke's fighter.

"Can you see him, Blue Leader?" asked Dreis.

The Doctor looked for Luke for a few seconds before he saw the familiar blue-and-white markings of R2-D2.

"I've found him," called the Doctor. "Jennara, pick him off!"

"I've got him in my sights," said Jennara.

The young woman fired at the TIE Fighter just once, but she managed to hit it dead-center. The TIE exploded instantly, and Jennara let out a cheer of joy.

"I got him!" she cried.

"Excellent shot!" called the Doctor.

"Thanks, Jennara," said Luke, letting out a breath he had been holding. "You're a lifesaver."

"I do my best," said Jennara with a hint of sarcasm.

The Doctor noticed that three Y-Wings from Gold Squadron were moving to attack the trench.

"Red Leader," called Vander. "This is Gold Leader. We're starting our attack run. It'll be me, Tiree, and Krail."

"Copy, Gold Leader," said Dreis. "Move into position."

The Doctor watched as Golds Leader, Two, and Five moved into the trench to start their run. He could sense something else. A distinct presence was about to enter the fray with them, and whoever it was did not have good intentions for the Rebels.

Gold Leader seemed to pay no mind to the presence; he didn't even know it was there. He simply called, "Switch all power to front deflector shields!" to his wingmen.

The Doctor flew over the trench to get an idea of what the Gold Squadron pilots were up against. There were guns, lots of them.

"How many guns are you thinking there are, Gold Five?" asked Vander.

"I'd say maybe twenty guns," said Krail. "Some on the surface and some on the tower."

"You boys had better hurry," warned the Doctor, taking into account the time that had passed. "We've got about five minutes to blow this thing."

"You heard him, Gold Two, Gold Five," said Vander. "Switch to targeting computer."

"Computers are locked," reported Tiree. "I'm getting a signal."

Vander, Krail, and Tiree flew their Y-Wings through the trench, being careful to avoid the lasers from the towers. The lasers were coming at the pilots at an alarmingly fast rate, and then they weren't. The guns had suddenly stopped firing.

"Why have they stopped?" asked Tiree.

The Doctor recalled that Ki-Adi-Mundi had said the same thing on Hypori during the Clone War, right before General Grievous, a very dangerous enemy indeed, attacked them. The Doctor had the sudden feeling that he knew exactly to whom that presence belonged.

Darth Vader had joined the fray.

"Watch for enemy fighters," warned Krail.

"I see them!" called Vander. "Three marks at 2-10!"

There were two regular TIE Fighters, the Doctor saw, but there was also a more advanced model of the fighter giving chase in the lead. The Doctor could sense Darth Vader aboard that particular fighter, and he knew that Vander, Krail, and Tiree didn't stand much of a chance once Vader got ahold of them.

"I can feel him," said Jennara. "Darth Vader."

"Gold boys," called the Doctor. "Be very careful. Darth Vader is leading those three fighters."

"Darth Vader?" asked Vander, fear in his voice. "Oh, no."

"Stay on target," warned Krail.

Tiree did not, unfortunately, get to comment, for Darth Vader had already shot him down, consuming his fighter in a ball of flame and debris. The Doctor felt Jennara swallow hard as they continued to evade the other TIE Fighters harassing the other Rebels.

The Doctor could also sense Vander's panic-stricken flying. He feared Vader more than anything, and the Doctor knew that Vader would prey on that fear for a while.

"It's no good!" called Vander to Krail. "I can't maneuver."

"Stay on target," said Krail.

"We're too close, Krail!" shouted Vander.

"Stay on target," repeated Krail.

The Doctor watched from the corner of his eye as the two Y-Wings continued their perilous trek down the trench. He could sense that Vader was done playing with Vander, and the Doctor was dismayed when Jan Vander's fighter went up in flames just as Tiree's had done mere moments ago.

"Red Leader, this is Gold Five," said Krail. "I can't make the run! I've lost Tiree and Vander!"

"Copy, Gold Five!" called Dreis.

"They came from behind!" called Krail as his fighter, just like his comrades' fighters, went up in flames, killing Krail instantly.

"Krail!" cried the Doctor.

Over the next minute, Darth Vader and his squadrons of fighters began picking off the Rebel fighters one by one. It didn't take long for the remainder of Gold Squadron to be completely eliminated by the Imperial fighters. Soon, only seven Rebel fighters remained: Naeco, Nett, Dreis, Biggs, Wedge, Luke, and the Doctor and Jennara.

"Red boys, Doctor, this is Red Leader," said Dreis resignedly. "Rendezvous at point 6-10."

"Going there now, boss," said Luke.

"Red Two, flying now," said Wedge.

"Red Three, standing by," reported Biggs.

"What are you thinking, Commander?" asked Jennara.

"I need you five to stay out of their line of fire," said Dreis. "Red Ten, Red Twelve, and I will start our attack run. Wait for my signal to begin your attack run."

"Got it, Commander," said the Doctor. "May the Force be with you."

"Thanks, Doctor," said Dreis. "Alright, boys, this is it."

Dreis, Naeco, and Nett then flew into the lion's den.

"Should be able to see it by now," said Nett after a few seconds of flying.

Immediately following Nett's statement, the defense towers stopped firing. The Doctor, Jennara, and the pilots all began to look for Darth Vader and his two flanking fighters.

"Keep your eyes peeled, boys," warned Dreis.

"I can't see them on my radar," said Nett. "Can anyone up above see them?"

"Negative," called Wedge.

"I can't see them, either," reported Biggs.

"I found them!" called Jennara. "Red boys, they're onto you from point 3-5."

"I've got them," said Naeco. "Thanks, Blue Leader."

"I'm in range," said Dreis. "Activating targeting computer. I'm coming up on it now. Just hold them off for a few seconds."

Dreis, Nett, and Naeco sped off towards the target as Vader's TIEs quickly gained ground on them. The Doctor watched as Vader quickly shot down Naeco, and he could feel the panic emanating from Nett.

"I'm letting you a little loose," said Nett. "They're right on top of me."

"Almost there," said Dreis.

"I can't hold them!" cried Nett.

"Try, Red Ten!" called Jennara.

"Doing my best!" called Nett as Vader opened fire on him. Instantly, Nett's fighter was consumed in flames, and seven fighters became six.

It seemed that the Doctor didn't have to worry for much longer. Commander Dreis released his proton torpedoes, firing them onto the Death Star.

"It's away!" he called as he flew right out of the trench. The Doctor immediately saw an explosion originating on the surface and despaired.

Dreis had missed.

"Did it hit?" asked Wedge.

"Negative," said Dreis sadly. "Negative. Didn't go in. Just deflected onto the surface."

Darth Vader immediately retaliated against Dreis for coming so close to destroying his battle station. The Sith Lord's Advanced TIE relentlessly chased Dreis's X-Wing fighter.

"Commander!" called the Doctor as Vader fired on Dreis. "We're right above you! Turn to point 0-5. We'll cover you!"

"No use, Doctor," called Dreis. "I've just lost my starboard engines. The five of you need to set up your attack run. You're the Rebellion's last hope. May the Force be with you!"

Dreis's last words were punctuated with a blast from Vader that took out his remaining engines. Unable to fly any longer, Dreis crashed into the surface of the Death Star, the explosion killing him instantly. The Doctor felt sadness emanate from Jennara, as well as a sort of determination that took over. The Doctor tightened his grip on his throttle as he, Luke, Wedge, and Biggs made their way into the trench.

They had to move fast. By the Doctor's calculations, they had less than sixty seconds to blow up the Death Star before it blew up the Rebel base on Yavin IV. This was it. This was the last effort that could possibly be made.

_Sixty seconds to save the galaxy,_ thought the Doctor. _No big deal. I saved a world with a kettle and a piece of string. I can help save the Rebellion in sixty seconds or less._

The Doctor, Luke, Wedge, and Biggs came in full throttle.

"Luke, at that speed, will we be able to get out in time?" asked Biggs worriedly.

"Course we will, old buddy," said Luke confidently. "It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home."

The four fighters plummeted down towards the trench, ready to make their last run.

"Luke," said Biggs. "The Doctor, Wedge, and I will stay back far enough to cover you."

"I'll use my position to see if I can hit any of those fighters," said Jennara.

"Alright," said Luke. "I'll take the lead."

"I can see the towers, but I can't see the exhaust port," said Wedge skeptically. "Are you absolutely sure a computer can hit it?"

The fighters moved ever closer to their target, and the towers did their best to shoot them down, but the pilots flying those Rebel fighters were a lot smarter than that. They wouldn't be caught by defense towers. If anything, they would be shot down by the TIE fighters that would soon be pursuing them, and those wouldn't come until later. This was the easy part.

"Watch yourselves back there!" called Luke. "Increase speed to full throttle!"

"What about the towers?" asked Wedge.

"You worry about the fighters, Wedge," said Luke. "I'll worry about the towers."

The Doctor could sense the determination of a young man who knew that he might die doing this, but still wanted to try. Luke was nervous, of course, but he was ready. The Doctor didn't really care much for the fact that he was going to use his computer, but Luke was an ace pilot, from what Obi-Wan had said about him. If anyone could take down the Death Star, it was Luke.

"R2, that stabilizer's broken loose again," called Luke. "See if you can't lock it down."

The little astromech droid responded immediately, and the Doctor saw him go to work on the stabilizer.

When the towers stopped firing, the Doctor, Jennara, Biggs, and Wedge started to look for the enemy fighters.

"I see them!" cried Jennara. "Point 3!"

"Let's move it!" shouted Biggs.

The four Rebel fighters accelerated as fast as they could go, but the TIEs still gained quite a bit of ground on them. The Doctor soon heard lasers and expected to hear an explosion, but he heard nothing of the sort.

"I'm hit!" cried Wedge. "I've lost one of my engines!"

"Get clear, Wedge," called Luke. "You can't do any more good if you get yourself killed."

"Sorry!" called Wedge as he pulled out of the trench, safe for now. The TIEs were letting him go, probably preferring to stay on Luke.

"Luke, you've gotta hurry," said Biggs. "These guys are coming in a lot faster this time."

"I'm doing what I can," said Luke. "R2, try to increase the power to thrusters."

"Hurry, Luke!" cried Jennara.

"We've got about thirty seconds left!" shouted the Doctor.

"I know you can do it, Luke!" cried Biggs. "I know you-"

Biggs encouragement was cut off by an explosion. It was of his own starfighter. Biggs Darklighter was dead. The Doctor mourned his loss, for he knew that Biggs and Luke had been friends. He felt a great sorrow radiate from Luke when he realized that his good friend had just died.

"Biggs," Luke said softly into his communicator.

The Doctor, Jennara, and Luke continued their flight towards the target, and the Doctor sensed that Luke had switched on his targeting computer. But there was another way.

_Luke_, the Doctor thought to the young man. _Use the Force. Let go of the computer. It can't help you. Trust me._

Luke was again confused, but the Doctor knew that his message had gotten through. A moment later, he sensed that Luke's targeting computer had been switched off.

"Luke, you've switched off your computer," said General Dodonna from the command center. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," said Luke. "I'm fine."

"What are you doing?" asked Jennara, confused.

"I'm experimenting," said the Doctor.

"Not really the time to be doing that," said Jennara. "The base is about ten seconds away from not being there anymore."

"I know, but the Force will guide him," said the Doctor. "You'll see."

"I hope you're right," said Jennara.

Vader and the TIEs seemed to be ignoring the Doctor in favor of going after Luke. The Doctor sensed a hint of fear from Vader with regards to his fighter. What could have caused that? The Doctor was a bit confused, but he had no time for confusion.

Luke's fighter sparked for a moment, and he heard the cry of an astromech droid being shot. A second later, the Doctor saw that R2-D2 had been hit by Vader's TIE.

"I've lost R2!" cried Luke.

The Doctor almost smiled when he pictured C-3PO probably freaking out about R2's health and safety on the moon base. Almost. According to his calculations, the Death Star was now in visual range of the base. It was now or never.

The Doctor, Luke, and Jennara flew as fast as they absolutely could to get to that exhaust port. He sensed an aura of confidence from Vader. He had Luke in his sights and was about to fire when the Doctor suddenly heard blasts and an explosion from behind him.

"What was that?!" cried Jennara.

The Doctor smiled. He sensed the cockiness and the good heart of an Imperial officer turned smuggler and the bravery and loyalty of his Wookiee companion.

"YEAHOO!" shouted Han Solo at the top of his lungs as he shot at the second TIE fighter. The lasers from the _Millenium Falcon_ clipped the fighter's wing, sending it spiraling into Vader's fighter. Vader's fighter spun out of the trench, out of control, leaving the Doctor, Jennara, and Luke to destroy the Death Star at the very last possible second.

"You're all clear, kid!" cried Han. "Now, let's blow this thing and go home!"

"You got it, Han!" said Luke, the smile evident in his voice.

The Doctor felt Luke steel himself, place his hand on the trigger for the proton torpedoes, and fire at the exhaust port.

For a single, hearts-stopping moment, the torpedoes flew through space towards the exhaust port. The Doctor thought about the minute chance that Luke would miss, and he hoped and prayed that he wouldn't. He hoped he had been right in telling Luke to use the Force when he had barely any training in its use. For a single moment, the fate of the galaxy rested on the edge of a knife, ready to tip at any moment to any one side.

It picked the right side.

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the proton torpedoes fly right into the exhaust port. Jennara whooped with joy, and Luke sighed along with the Doctor.

"YES!" cried Wedge from his post above the trench. "LUKE, YOU DID IT!"

"Great shot, kid!" called Han. "That was one-in-a-million!"

"We've got time to celebrate later!" shouted the Doctor. "Right now, we've got a giant moon that's about to go all explodey-wodey on us, and we need to get out of here fast."

"Right," said Luke as he and the Doctor and Jennara flew out of the trench. "Come on."

As the Doctor flew with Luke, Wedge, and Han, he noticed a sharp spike of sadness rear itself from Jennara. What caused that? Something he said, maybe? He wasn't sure, but he would talk with her about it when they got back to Yavin IV.

The Death Star exploded behind the victorious Rebel fighters. It was a booming sound coupled with a beautiful display of light and fire. The Doctor felt a nudge of approval from the Force itself; he had done well indeed this day.

As the Rebels descended onto Yavin IV, the Doctor was certain that they would be getting a hero's welcome home.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello, friends! I am return! With new chapter! Yay! This chapter comprises the entirety of the Death Star battle, which was very fun to write! Also, there's a bit of stuff with Jennara at the end that will lead into what happens the next chapter, which is the LAST CHAPTER OF EPISODE IV BEFORE THE EPILOGUE! This is an exciting time! We're almost to Empire! Then Return! Then a few other things! Woohoo!<strong>

**Also, a Guest user asked if I combined the names Jenny (The Doctor's Daughter) and Clara to form the name Jennara. You, sir/madam, are half-right. I did use part of Clara's name for Jennara, but I combined it with Jenna, which is, obviously, the name of the actress who plays Clara. I totally understand where you got Jenny from, though, so no big deal. Just thought I'd clear that up.**

**So, what did you guys think about this chapter? Hit me with a review! They are always appreciated, and I cannot say enough how much I enjoy hearing your thoughts on the story so far!**

**Next Friday: The Doctor and Jennara have a heart-to-heart, and the Doctor gets his bow tie!**

**Also, I'll post the epilogue the day after Chapter 13 goes up, so look out for that!**

**And that about does it for this author's note. Until the next chapter, my friends!**


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